Training the Avenger
by Dragon6
Summary: Sasuke has lost it all. He watched as his brother kill everyone he loves. Now, he must avenge them in order to seek justice. At his current level he would not be able to do so but he remembers a shinobi who his father and brother had praised of be strong. He must find this person and ask him to him him get his revenge. This person is none other than the Yondaime's son, Naruto.
1. Prelude

**_Prelude_**

The rain did not stop the young nine year old boy from reaching his destination. He had to get to the village gates before his only chance of vengeance got away. He had learned for someone on the street that his objective was leaving the village. He needed to stop him from leaving. He was the only one who could help.

Yesterday, he had lost his clan. The powerful Uchiha was taken out by one signal person. That person was his brother. He just couldn't believe that he did such a thing. He knew that he was having issues with his father and members of the clan but he went too far. Now, he was the last Uchiha alive. He didn't consider Itachi an Uchiha anymore. He swore that Itachi would regret leaving him alive.

Then that question came to him. How was he going to accomplish his ambition? That's when he remembered a discussion that his father and brother had when things were good.

-**Flashback**-

_The Uchiha family was sitting at the dinner table when Itachi entered._

_"Brother, you're back!" Sasuke exclaimed happily._

_"You are home sooner than I heard." Fugaku said._

_"I was teamed with Naruto for this mission." Itachi said and sat down at the table._

_"How is Naruto-kun?"Mikoto asked._

_"He is the same. He's always smiling and joking around. He said that he won't stop until he gets me to smile." Itachi said. Mikoto giggled while Fugaku just remained silent. Sasuke was confused by the discussion._

_"Who's Naruto?" he asked._

_"Naruto Uzumaki is the elder son of my very good friend Kushina. You remember that loud red-haired woman Sasuke?" Mikoto asked._

_"Oh yeah, she's Shizuka's mother too. How come I've never met him?" Sasuke said._

_"Naruto is a part of Hunter-nin division. He hunts for missing-nin who is within our borders. He most hunts for those that are C rank and up." Itachi said._

_"Well, he can't be stronger than you brother." Sasuke said._

_"That isn't true Sasuke. Naruto is very skilled and very deadly." Itachi countered._

_"Listen to your brother Sasuke. Naruto Uzumaki was the only non-Uchiha that I had on the police force. He is very skilled. Even your brother has tasted defeat at his hands and I was pushed hard against him in practice. He is a friend of the Uchiha and is to be respected. Should you ever get a chance to learn under him, you must listen to every thing that he says. He may turn you into one of the village's strongest." Fugaku said. Sasuke was so surprised to hear his father speak of someone like that. He really wanted to meet this Naruto._

-**Present**-

Sasuke saw the gates and sped up to catch this Naruto. He didn't know why he was leaving but he had to stop him. He neared the gate to see a teenager. He was wearing a long trench coat with short sleeves. He had spiky blonde hair that was weighed down by the rain. He was carrying a backpack and a large scroll. He quickly ran up to him.

"Uzumaki-san!" Sasuke shouted. Said Uzumaki turned to the sound of the voice. His blue eyes looked at Sasuke with a bit of curiosity. He watched as he ran up to him. Sasuke stood in front of him and dropped to his knees. He was breathing hard as it was quite a distance he ran. He looked up at the blond and gave him a pleading gaze. He then bowed his head to the ground.

"Please Uzumaki-san; please take me on as your student! Please help get my revenge!" Sasuke exclaimed. Naruto's eyes widen slightly and turned his whole body around. He scratched his head in utter confusion.

_'I guess that means I'm staying a little while longer.'_ Naruto thought.

* * *

><p><strong><em><span>Authors' Notes<span>_**: This is a new story that I have come up with. It isn't an original idea as it has been used on the site a dozen times but I've added a new twist to it. I hope you enjoy it and read the summary at the bottom.

**_Disclaimer_**: I do not own Naruto. All character and its plot are the property of Masashi Kishimoto and company.


	2. Chapter 1

**_Chapter 1_**

Kushina was irate. She had just returned home after shopping to hear that her own son had disrespected the Hokage. It was the biggest news that was going around the village. She heard that the shouting could be heard outside of the Hokage tower. She knew that Naruto would be displeased with the death of the Uchiha but not this upset. Then she learned that he threw his forehead protector at Hiruzen, spat on his desk and stormed out. He shouted that he was going to leave the village.

Well, she was about to let that happen. Naruto didn't save her life just to run away now. She was going to grab her son, beat his ass and drag him back home. It was the motherly thing to do. She placed her bags down in the kitchen and marched over to the door. She threw it open to find Naruto in front of her.

"Hey mom, do you have… OW! OW!" Naruto hissed as his mother pulled on his ear.

"Who do you think you are, dattebane? Have you no respect for authority? I didn't raise a thug who screams and spits at people, dattebane! Now, you are going to march over to the Hokage Tower and you are going to apologize, got it?" Kushina shouted.

"OW mom, let me go! You're scaring the kid." Naruto said while wincing in pain.

"Kid?" Kushina said with confusion. She looked and saw a black haired nine year old hiding behind a large potted plant. "Sasuke?"

* * *

><p>After drying off and changing clothes, Naruto sat across from Sasuke. He set down two cups of tea and some crackers. Naruto placed his towel across his shoulders and gave his attention to Sasuke.<p>

"I guess we should start with my condolences for your clan. They were great people who made me into who I am." Naruto said.

"Thank you Uzumaki-san." Sasuke said.

"Please, call me Naruto. Now, you asked me to take you on as a student to get your revenge. If you would explain this to me," Naruto said.

"Itachi… Itachi told me that I was worthless, not worthy of killing. He told me to hate him, hate him so much that it consumes me. He said that only then will I be worthy to fight him. What Itachi did, all for the sake of seeing how strong he was, it is unacceptable. He must pay for his crimes and I must be the one to bring justice to my clan." Sasuke explained.

"Why come to me?" Naruto asked.

"My father and Itachi spoke very highly of you. I need to get stronger and I believe, no, I know that you are the only one who can help me reach my goal." Sasuke said. He dropped to his knees and bowed his head. "Please help me with my quest." Naruto stared at Sasuke, mentally getting angrier every second. How could Itachi have done this to his brother? How could he have done this to the clan? He knew the truth behind what really happened. He did everything to try and stop it.

He understood where the Uchiha was coming from. Tobirama Senju, the Nidaime Hokage, was a fool to do what he did. By isolating the clan from the very village they helped found, he made the Uchiha resent the village. It was something that the Sandaime continued. He had told his father, Minato Namikaze, the Yondaime Hokage, about his views and he agreed with him. His father made attempts, which is more he could say about Hiruzen. If only the Kyuubi had not be taken out of his mother the night of Shizuka's birth.

He had a solution. It was because of this solution, Fugaku held off on his plans. He was supposed to have four days. Why didn't the Hokage wait for him? Stupid old man should have just stayed retired.

"Get up Sasuke, no son of Fugaku Uchiha should ever be on his knees." Naruto said with authority. Sasuke snapped his head up and stood. He sat back down and faced Naruto. Naruto looked at him with a serious gaze. "I understand your rage Sasuke but you must not let it consume you like your brother said. You must also understand the path that you travel. The path of vengeance is a dark one. Many have lost themselves to the darkness and have never been able to escape it. They may accomplish their vengeance but it does not stop there. You will find another one who has wronged you and another. It is a path of endless bloodshed and pain. Is this really the path you wish to go down Sasuke?"

Sasuke did not say anything about that and looked down at his tea. Naruto stood and looked at the boy. "There is a room that you can stay in for the night. If this is the path that you must take Sasuke, then I will help you." Sasuke looked ready to thank him but Naruto raised his hand to stop him. "I said 'if' Sasuke. Right now, you are to hurt and angry to think straight. Bury your family and clansmen, then meditate on this path that you have chosen. Should you wish to walk the path of an avenger, meet me at the old station house training grounds. We will see if you have what it takes." Naruto said.

"Thank you Naruto, I will do what you asked." Sasuke said.

"Good, I'll lead you to the room that you'll be staying tonight." Naruto said. Sasuke nodded and stood up. Naruto lead him to the guest room.

* * *

><p>Naruto watched the rain fall from the porch. He had a good view of his father's head on the monument. He looked at it when he felt that he needed an answer. It felt as if his father's spirit was in that stone head.<p>

"Dad, did I do the right thing? I know that I shouldn't encourage his path of vengeance but it is something that he needs. I think I can tweak his path a little bit but I do not know if it will work. Can I handle this responsibility?" Naruto asked.

"I think you can." His mother's voice said from behind. She came up to sit next to him. "I believe that you can make him into a strong ninja and into a good one."

"It's good that you have such faith in me mom." Naruto said with a smile. He then looked up toward his father's head. "I could have done it you know. The daimyo agreed to my suggestion. If Itachi didn't jump the gun,"

"You can't think of the past. You just have to move forward Naruto and do what you can for Sasuke." Kushina said.

"You agree with the path he's on?" he asked.

"I know what that type of pain can do to a person. It wasn't so long ago that I wanted to run up into Kumogakure and tear it down for their part in our village's destruction. I would have too if I didn't fall in love with this dork from my class." Kushina said with a smile. Naruto chuckled at that. "Should Sasuke decide on his path, I know that you will do your best to keep him from the darkness that comes with it."

"Thanks mom."

"No problem. Now tomorrow, you're going to the Hokage tower and apologize to Hiruzen. I'll go with you so that you don't run away." She said.

"Fine but I won't mean it." Naruto said. He stood and turned to head inside with his mother when he saw his little sister. Her long orange hair was tied into a braid. She was wearing a long dress that had little bears on it. She also had whisker marks like her brother. Kushina gave her a disapproving look.

"It's past your bed-time young lady. What are you doing up?" Kushina demanded. Shizuka said nothing and just turned away. Kushina and Naruto heard her foot-steps fade. Kushina just sighed. "I don't know what is up with that girl."

"She overheard my talk with Sasuke. I don't think she likes the idea of me helping her rival." Naruto said with a smile.

"You could teach her a couple of things Naruto." Kushina said.

"I could but I know her too well. I don't wish for my work to fall into the hands of that man. Also, she has become too arrogant in her ways. Father wished for her to be seen as a hero for housing the Kyuubi. She shouldn't be exploiting or demanding things just because of that. When she grows up, then I'll consider it." Naruto said and made his way to his room. Kushina sighed before making her way to her room as well. She just hoped that Shizuka understood.

* * *

><p>The next day, Hiruzen was looking out his window. He saw Kushina and her son making their way to the tower. He was surprised to see Naruto after last night. It was one of their most violent of arguments ever. He wondered how it came to this between them. He looked over to the picture of the boy's father.<p>

_'Minato, I wish I knew how to gain your son's respect. It would make my time in office much better.'_ Hiruzen thought. There was a knock on the door. "Enter." The door opened and Naruto was shoved into the office. He turned to glare at his mother but her glare was much scarier than his. The two faced each other.

"I thought you would have been gone by now." Hiruzen said.

"I found something interesting in the village that convinced me to stay." Naruto said.

"It must have been something very interesting to keep you here. Seeing that you do not have any wounds on your person, I know your mother didn't drag back."

"Let's just get this over with. I'm sorry that I spat on your desk, for insulting you position and for calling you a feeble old man who lost his way." Naruto said.

"Why say something that you don't mean Naruto? Speak your mind; it is what you are known for." Hiruzen said.

"You should have given me another day. I had the daimyo's approval. The massacre shouldn't have happened. How could you stand there and disrespect a founding clan?" Naruto asked.

"They were committing treason Naruto. Their actions would have caused a civil war within the village. Our enemies would have used that opportunity to crush us as we are still weak from the Kyuubi's attack. What would it say about Konohagakure if we allow that to happen?" Hiruzen said.

"The only reason that happened was because of what you predecessor did. What did you think would happen when he isolated the Uchiha? That the Uchiha would just accept their role because he feared another coming of Madara? His successor isn't any different." Naruto said.

"I did what was best for the village and I do not regret my decision." Hiruzen said.

"Yeah, be happy about that decision. That decision you made forced a boy to grow up fast. He will no longer enjoy his childhood. He will not longer be happy until Itachi is dead. Be very pleased with yourself Hokage-_sama_." The two stared at each other for a while, the tension ever growing. Hiruzen just sighed and threw Naruto's forehead protector at him. The blond caught it and pocketed it.

"I'll give you a week off before you have to resume your duties." Hiruzen said. "Thank your mother for this second chance."

"Whatever old man, see ya in a week." Naruto said and walked out of the office. Hiruzen didn't say anything and walked back around his desk to get to work but instead he sat there. He sighed and looked toward the picture of the Nidaime. Could he and his former sensei been wrong? Hiruzen just sat there, feeling every bit of his age.

* * *

><p>Sasuke made his way to Uchiha headquarters. He looked up to the four shaped star and his clan's crest. He looked up at that crest with pride. He quickly promised to avenge them. He made his way into the building. He walked until he reached the training grounds where the cadets would be. He saw Naruto standing on one of the poles that were in the training grounds.<p>

"It's been a while since I came here. I would always be teased by members of Uchiha because I wanted to be a part of their force. I showed them though and I earned their respect. I was probably the only non-Uchiha who they liked." Naruto said. He jumped off the pole and landed in front of Sasuke. "So, what is your decision?"

"I did what you asked. After I watched my family get buried and sat in the temple. I meditated for three days. All I could think of was my family and the good times. Then it changed when I saw Itachi kill them all. I could hear the wails of my clansmen, calling out for revenge. I can not ignore their calls. This is my path, the path of the avenger." Sasuke explained.

"Very well then, prepare yourself Sasuke. I will help you on this path and make sure that you are ready to avenge the blood of your clan. By the time I am done with you, the fangs of the survivor will reach the prodigy. Sound good?" he said.

"I put my fate in your hands sensei." Sasuke said.

"Hope you don't regret those words boy. Your training begins now." Naruto said.

* * *

><p><strong><em><span>Authors' Notes<span>_**: Here's the next chapter. Okay, my goal for this isn't really to bash certain characters. I'm looking at the story from a different direction. I always believed that Tobirama made an error in his decision with the Uchiha. Why would you do such a think to a founding clan? Naruto is looking at it for that view and it is why he is at odds with Hiruzen. Expect a different Sasuke under Naruto tutalage. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter.


	3. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

At the training field, Naruto faced an eager Sasuke. Naruto just smirked at him.

"Well some one is pretty eager to begin." Naruto said with amusement.

"So what will be my first lesson sensei?" Sasuke asked seriously. Naruto just smiled and handed him a folder. Sasuke looked at the folder and opened it. He was very surprised to see that it Itachi's file. He looked at Naruto.

"There's nothing edited. Everything in that folder is who your brother is and what he has done. All his skills, all his kills, everything that Itachi Uchiha is in that folder. Your first task is to learn everything in that folder. After a week, I will test you." Naruto said.

"That's it? That's all I will be doing?" Sasuke asked.

"The objective of this lesson is to know thy enemy. Did you believe that you would learn a strong jutsu and that you would kill Itachi with ease? Think Sasuke, do you truly know how skilled your brother really is?" Naruto asked. Sasuke looked ready to argue but Naruto's words made sense. The only thing he really saw his brother do was that kunai trick where he hit every bull's eye. Naruto saw that Sasuke was begin to understand.

"Learn about Itachi first and when you have learned about your target, we can truly begin your training." Naruto said.

"I understand sensei." Sasuke said. Naruto smirked and the two left the training grounds.

* * *

><p>Naruto made his way home. Upon entering his father's home, he saw his sister Shizuka. He could see that she had that face on her. Naruto and Shizuka never truly connected as siblings. He remembered the first day that he held her when he took her and his weaken mother to the hospital. He thought that she was cute and that she would grow up to be a strong shinobi like their parents. As she got older, he began to see another side of her. It was a side that he did not like seeing.<p>

She became arrogant when she learned of the Kyuubi being sealed within her. She walked around the village acting as if they owed her for keeping them safe. No one would attack her as it would bring upon his wrath but sometimes he wished someone would give her smack. What was worst was her favorite uncle, Danzo, did nothing to curb her attitude. In fact, he encouraged her attitude which did not sit well with him or his mother. Whenever he would say something about it, she would acted like a baby and accuse him of trying to keep them apart.

Naruto just sighed and decided to get this over with. He stood in front of his sister with a bored expression.

"So, how was you day?" Naruto started off with.

"So, you won't teach me anything but you would teach Sasuke?" Shizuka said.

"Well, I have a reason for that." Naruto said.

"Oh and what could be the reason that you would train him and not a member of your family?" she asked with an edge.

"My reason for that... is none of your business." he said.

"WHAT?" Shizuka shouted. Naruto just laughed at her. "It's not funny! Why are you training Sasuke?"

"Fine, I'm training Sasuke because he is planning to go after his brother for the murder of his clan. He needs to be stronger enough to kill him. Who better to ask than the village's top hunter ninja?" Naruto asked.

"Don't lie, you're doing this because you liked the Uchiha clan. I know about your argument with the Sandaime."

"Yeah, I liked the Uchiha clan and Sasuke is a Uchiha." The way he said it just made Shizuka angrier. Naruto sighed and decided to stop playing around with her. "Alright, the truth is that I know Sasuke will not abuse anything I teach him." he said.

"And I would right?" she snarled.

"Yes actually." Naruto admitted, shocking his sister. "I know how you are Shizuka and I do not need you throwing around techniques like they're some sort of plaything. My techniques are made for killing, plain and simple. I don't wish for you to hurt anyone just because you want to show everybody what your brother showed you."

"How do you know that I would do that?" Shizuka asked.

"Are you kidding me? Wasn't you who nearly injured a instructor and caused some destruction when you decided to add your wind chakra to your shuriken?" Naruto asked.

"T-That was just an accident!" Shizuka exclaimed.

"No, you were showing off. People could have been hurt because of that. You're irresponsible and I will not risk people lives so that you can show off a new toy." Naruto said. Shizuka looked ready to burst a blood vessel. She just stood up and stomped out of the house. Naruto flinched a little when he heard the door slam. He just sighed and made his way upstairs. He had to check on his ninja tools.

* * *

><p>"And then, he had the nerve to call me irresponsible! Just because I cut an instructor, destroyed a training dummy, a tree, a wall and a vendor's stand. No one really got hurt!" Shizuka spat. She took a bite of her dango and chewed it angrily.<p>

"You need to calm down my child. Remember, shinobi do not show emotions." the elderly man said.

"You're always saying that! Sometimes, it's good to unload once in a while Danzo-oji." Shizuka said.

"While that might be true, it is unbecoming of my future heir to be like that. Besides, you have no need to be jealous of your brother. Am I not teaching you my personal jutsus Shizuka?" Danzo asked.

"Yeah but I've heard stories about his techniques. He has a technique that he used that took out the Tome Hachiku with a simple flick of his wrist. He's a wind nature like me and you. Even you have said that his techniques are superior to yours." Shizuka said.

"That is true." Danzo said.

"Plus, I'm the Kyuubi jinchuriki. Shouldn't I have the skills and techniques to protect Konoha as my father did? He just doesn't understand that. Now, he's passing on his techniques to 'Sasuke'." she said with sarcastic tone. That was something that surprised the old war hawk.

"What do you mean that he's passing his techniques to Sasuke?" Danzo asked.

"A week ago, Sasuke 'begged' him for training and he agreed. Can you believe that? I ask for one technique he blows me off. Sasuke needs help killing his brother and he gives him training." Shizuka complained.

"If you you wish to know the reason daughter, then this is it." a voice said. Shizuka's head snapped back to see her mother. She could see that she was not happy with her.

"Oh, hi mom. When did you get here?" Shizuka asked nervously. Kushina just glared at her.

"Go home and wait for me there." Kushina ordered. Not wanted to get into any more trouble, Shizuka quickly fled after bowing to Danzo. Kushina made sure that she was out of area before rounding on to Danzo. The old war hawk just stood and faced the angry Uzumaki.

"I thought that I made it clear that I wanted you to stay away from my family?" Kushina asked dangerously.

"It is not my fault that young Shizuka comes to talk to me. Perhaps you should pay more attention to her." Danzo said.

"Like the attention you give her? It is because of you that she believes in half of that nonsense she spouts. The Kyuubi was sealed in her to save the village. You have twisted it, making her arrogant and spoiled. I have heard what the village really thinks of her and if she had never met you, she may have grown up to be the hero that her father wanted her to be." Kushina said.

"Believe what you want Kushina, I am just glad that she realizes her duty. Speaking of duty, what is your son planning to do with the last Uchiha?" Danzo asked.

"What he does with Sasuke isn't any of your business." Kushina said.

"I am only concerned about what your son would teach him. He is consumed with revenge and giving him killing techniques would be ill-advised." Danzo said.

"The only reason he is consumed with revenge is because of my idiotic student, three old fossils and the Hokage. I would not worry about Sasuke-kun. My son will succeed where Itachi has failed. If that is all Danzo, I will be leaving." Kushina said and turned to leave. Danzo clenched his cane and narrowed his eye at the retreating woman. He turned and made his way toward the Hokage tower.

* * *

><p>Danzo entered the Hokage's office. He saw his former teammates, Homura and Koharu, in the room with him. It didn't matter if they were in the room. In fact, it was better that they were here.<p>

"Danzo, what bring you here today?" Hiruzen asked.

"I have news about a situation that you should be aware of." Danzo said.

"Oh, what is it?" Hiruzen asked.

"Did you know that Naruto Uzumaki has taken Sasuke on as a student?" Danzo asked him. Hiruzen and his teammates were surprised by the news. Hiruzen understood what Naruto meant by not worrying about Sasuke.

"What is that boy thinking? The way Sasuke is, he is likely to defect and he will have some of the strongest killing techniques of Konoha." Homura said.

"Hiruzen, you have to talk to that boy now. It was bad enough that he disrespected us and you but he has crossed the line with this." Koharu said. Hiruzen stayed silent for a while before sighing and standing. He faced the window and looked out of it.

"Leave them be." Hiruzen said.

"What did you say?" Koharu asked.

"I said leave them be. I have no doubt that Sasuke went to the one person in this village his family cared for. If Naruto has decided to teach young Sasuke, then I will not do anything to hamper it." he said.

"Are you mad Hiruzen? What if Naruto teaches him the 'Tome Rarenai Ken'?" Koharu exclaimed.

"Then so be it." Hiruzen said.

"Hiruzen..."

"Enough! Naruto and Sasuke will be left alone. Do nothing that would hamper either of them. This is my final word on the matter." Hiruzen said with an edge. The elders relented. Danzo narrowed his lone eye further. He quickly excuse himself and made his way to his secret base.

* * *

><p>After a week, Sasuke met with Naruto at the training grounds. Naruto saw that Sasuke had a look of surprise on his face. It made the blond smile some.<p>

"I take it that you were stunned by what you learned in the folder?" Naruto asked.

"I always believed that Itachi was a Ninjutsu master. For what I've learned, he barely used Ninjutsu. He favored Genjutsu over anything. That kunai trick of his was just a way to disarm a security system. I always thought it was some cool attack." Sasuke told him.

"What else have you learned Sasuke?" Naruto asked.

"He didn't use his Sharingan to steal jutsus. He mostly used it to counter his enemies attacks. While he favored Genjutsu, he was well-rounded in several other arts. He preferred finesse rather than brute strength. I gathered that from his mission bio." he told him.

"Good, very good Sasuke. The first thing that you have to understand is when hunting a target, you have to know that target. You can't just learn a powerful technique and expect it to work against an unknown. That is how you must approach Itachi, as an unknown. Do not believe that he will be sitting on his hands." Naruto said.

"Right. Um, may I keep the folder?" Sasuke asked.

"It's yours. You may learn some more things that you didn't see." Naruto said. He then got serious. "OK, it's time to get to the real training." Sasuke looked eager to get started. "Good, you're eager. You first task is that course right there." Naruto said pointing to the course. "To become a full member of the police force, every member had to finish that course in under five minutes. You couldn't go on duty until you did."

"Is that all I will be doing sensei?" Sasuke asked.

"Hell no pupil! I'll teach you much more but until you beat the course in under five minutes, do not expect any techniques from me. I'm not going to pamper you. To gain your ambition, you will work for it. If that doesn't sound good to you, then tell me now." Naruto asked. Sasuke stared at the course in front of him. He looked back at Naruto with determination.

"Let's get started." Sasuke said. Naruto just smirked.

* * *

><p>Danzo sat at his desk, filling out forms. He was waiting for his subordinate to return. He stopped writing and sat up straight.<p>

"Report." he ordered.

"Sir, they are using the training grounds at the former police station. He had activated all of the seals there and has added a few more. My Byakugan was not able to see through whatever barrier he put up." the man reported. Danzo was not pleased with that report.

"Very well, we will have to find another way. You may go." Danzo said. He turned back to his paperwork but was not in the mood to continue. That brat of Minato's was beginning to become a problem. He may have respected the boy's strength but his attitude and loyalty was always a question. What aggravated him the most his closeness to the daimyo. He had actually gotten a look at the scroll he brought back before he exploded on Hiruzen. He was glad that he did not wait for the boy to return.

Still, he was a problem. He knew that he would have no problem telling Sasuke the truth about his clan. If that happened, his head, along with the elders, would be on the chopping block of Sasuke's vengeance. Also, if Sasuke ever learned the Tome Rarenai Ken, he could very well accomplish it. Itachi was a fool to allow the boy to live. He would have to think carefully in how to deal with this situation.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Authors' Notes<strong>_: I know some people wanted an explanation to Kushina's survival. I will explain it but I wanted to get a few things out of the way first. Don't worry, I will show how his mother survived. Enjoy the new chapter. Oh, look out for a poll that I will put up on my bio page. It concerns this story.

_**Glossary**_

_**Tome Hachiku**_ - Unstoppable Juggernaut

_**Tome Rarenai Ken**_ – Unstoppable Sword (Not the name of a technique)

_**Oji** – Uncle_


	4. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

Naruto waited for the Hokage to be free. He left Sasuke with a clone to watch over his training. He was very impressed with the boy. He was determined to learn something for him. He almost beat the course in under five minutes. He was also branching out in other areas. He didn't wait for him to teach him any techniques and went to the library to help himself. The boy would always surprise him in their spars.

The receptionist called out to him and allowed him entry into the Hokage's office. When he entered, he found the old man doing calligraphy. It was something that he had taught him when he was younger. It really helped with his swordsmanship. He saw the character and smirked.

"Is that what you think of me old man?" Naruto asked.

"Most of the time Naruto, you are very troublesome. You're always in some troublesome situation which causes me grief and a mountain of paperwork." Hiruzen said. He finished the character and stood. He grabbed his pipe and took a puff. He then faced Naruto.

"So, how is young Sasuke's training going?" Hiruzen asked.

"He's getting there. He's no where near Itachi's level but he's determined to reach it. He seems to work harder when he must earn it." Naruto said.

"I only ask because there are a few people who are actually worried about what may happen down the road." Hiruzen said. Naruto finally understood what this meeting was going to be about.

"This can't just be because they're worried that Sasuke would pull a 'Itachi'?" Naruto asked again.

"Vengeance is a path for fools. One is never satisfied when the object of their vengeance is dealt with. They will find something else to kill. It will be a cycle of endless bloodshed." Hiruzen lectured.

"Perhaps that path could have been avoided if someone would have waited."

"Yes, I read the scroll that the daimyo gave you. It was a path a never thought of but if this happened, what's not to say that the Uchiha clan would not turn and attack Konoha?"

"That's the risk you take. Still, it wouldn't have come to that. I knew Fuguka well enough to know that he would have loved being a member of the daimyo's court. Not to mention, that the clan would have had their own land, miles away from Konoha. Granted, he would stick it to you by taking missions opposite to what you might have given." Naruto said with amusement.

"That he would lad." Hiruzen said with a chuckle. He then looked at Naruto seriously. "Will you tell him the truth?"

"He deserves to know what was really going on. I'm not going to tell him now but when he matures enough that I know he will not kill you or the elders for your stupidity." Naruto told him.

"I guess that is the best I can ask for. I do not have any missions for you as of yet but I will be needing your sword soon."

"I'm at the ready old man." Naruto said and made his way out of the office.

–

Naruto exited the tower. He couldn't believe his luck as outside waiting for him another old man. While he had his issues with Hiruzen, they were usually pretty civil with each other. Danzo on the other hand, disgusted him in way that he could not really explain. They man was a fraud in his opinion. He talked about doing things for the village but in reality, all he wanted was power. The two were always at odds , mostly because he rejected his offer to join his 'Ne'. He knew that he only wanted his power to his 'Tenkū Supiāzu'.

The two faced each other for a while before Naruto made a move to leave. When one of Danzo's 'puppets' blocked his path, he raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't think that your drones were suicidal." Naruto said.

"We have much to talk about Uzumaki." Danzo said.

"Do we now? This wouldn't be because of the interesting conversation I had with the old man? Afraid Sasuke might take your head?" Naruto asked with amusement.

"You are putting countless shinobi at risk by training that boy." Danzo said with an heated edge.

"Careful there one-eye, you're a shinobi and shinobi are just tools. We don't need emotions." Naruto joked.

"You think that this is a game boy?" Danzo snarled.

"Nope, I don't think it's a game. I do think that Sasuke deserves to have his revenge. Against you or Itachi, I pretty much don't really care which." he said lazily.

"Be warned Naruto, I will do whatever it takes to keep Konoha safe." Danzo threatened. Naruto looked at him seriously.

"Be warned Danzo, that I will do the same. Also, I wouldn't do anything that would put your neck out for my Tome Rarenai Ken." Naruto said with a cold, flat tone. He pushed himself pass Danzo and his lackeys and was off. He didn't even turn back around or he would have seen the war-hawk glare at him.

–

Sasuke sat alone and read the folder that was given to him by his sensei. He was on the academy grounds and it was lunch time. Like always, he was surrounded by his fan-girls who kept their distance. He ignore it all and continued to read. He was very surprised by what he read. At the beginning of his brother's career, he killed without pause. After the war, he reduced his killed, opting to capture or disable his opponents. It was a complete one-eighty from who he believed to be his sibling.

He was interrupted by a commotion by his fan-girls. He looked to see some of them on the ground and an angry Shizuka stomping toward him. He stood and put the folder in his pack. He faced Shizuka who was immediately in his face. This was nothing new as the two did not like each other. He could only 'guess' what he issue was now.

"Can I help you Uzumaki?" Sasuke said with a tone.

"Yes, you can Uchiha. You can stop wasting my brother's time and train by yourself." Shizuka snarled. She was very angry with him and his brother. Danzo had come to her and let it slip that Naruto was planning to show Sasuke the Tome Rarenai Ken. That was something that she wanted to learn that her brother refused to teach her. She would be damned if Sasuke learned it before her.

"And why would I do that? Your brother agreed to help me with my quest. He's one of the only people who I can stand being around." he told her.

"I really don't care. I'm telling you that you will not bother my brother again. If you do, then I will make things very unpleasant for you." she threatened.

"Let's get something straight Uzumaki. I don't care if you have the Kyūbi in your gut. You don't order me around or threaten me. If Naruto wishes to end our training, then have him tell me. You're not his keeper and I will not listen to the words of a jealous little girl." Sasuke spat.

"That's it! Let's see how much you've learned. I win, you're done under my brother's tutelage!" Shizuka declared and slipped into her fighting stance. Sasuke followed suit and was prepared to deal with this upstart. They were suddenly stopped by a loud shout.

"What the hell are you two doing!" Kushina roared. She was wearing a standard jonin uniform, her hitai-ate used as a belt. Next to her, was Iruka Umino, a chūnin and instructor at the shinobi academy. After having the Kyūbi ripped out of her, her abilities had dropped. She made the decision to become an instructor at the academy. Within two years, she was promoted to headmaster. With her position, she improved the academy. It was a such an improvement that the failure rate had decreased. Many shinobi, especially Jonin leaders, were impressed.

She was enjoying her lunch when one of the girls arrived and told her that her daughter was about to fight. She knew that she was probably going to fight Sasuke. She grabbed Iruka and made her way to the scene. She glared at both of them.

"I asked you two a question. What do you think that you are doing? Fighting is prohibited outside spars." Kushina said with a hard tone.

"Uzumaki-sama, I was minding my own business when Shizuka got in my face and started to threaten me. She was demanding that I leave Naruto-sensei alone or else." Sasuke said.

"I don't know what is so special about you. Who gives a crap about your quest? I will not be cheated out of my brother's famous jutsu just because he's training you!" Shizuka shouted. Kushina sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Shizuka, why do you continue to embarrass yourself? Do you really believe that your brother would teach his student his most prized technique this early? Sasuke is not at the level that requires him to even use that technique. Also, what your brother teaches his student is none of your business. You have proven again that your brother is right in not teaching you anything." Kushina lectured her daughter. She did not care that Shizuka was angry for being talked down to.

"Alright, I won't punish either of you this time. If this happens again, consider yourselves suspended for a week. Am I understood?" Kushina asked.

"Yes ma'am." they both said. Shizuka stormed off, leaving Kushina to shake her head. Sasuke was just wondering what was this all about.

–

Naruto was looking for his wayward student. He was called to do a mission and he needed to let Sasuke know that he would be gone for a while. He was also looking for him because his mother made a request of him. It seem that Sasuke was still a loner. He was a bit friendlier to others and he didn't total ignore people but his mother was still worried that he would have no one to confine in. Naruto understood his mother's plea and looked to challenge his student into making a friend.

He finally found his student and couldn't help but smile. Sasuke was currently on the run from members of the 'Sasuke Fan Club'. It was a very amusing thing to watch. Itachi was similar in a way. Even he had a few fan-girls but they led to nothing. Plus, his mother scared them off. As he looked on, he noticed that this might be a great training exercise.

Deciding that he had enough, Naruto used the Shunshin to appear in front of Sasuke. Grabbing his shoulder, he waved good-bye to the fan-girls and disappeared with Sasuke. They reappeared near Ichirakus. He motioned his head and the two entered the stand.

"Hey Naruto-kun, how have you been?" Ayame, the chef's daughter, asked.

"Good, me and my student will have one pork ramen." Naruto ordered.

"Just one Naruto, you sick or something?" Tenchu asked.

"Nah, I have a mission in a couple of minutes." Naruto said. He then turned to Sasuke. "Fan-girls huh? I know your pain my student."

"You had fan-girls?" Sasuke asked.

"No way, most girls who were interested in me were in it for my name. I always looked for girls who liked me and me alone. What about you?" Naruto asked.

"I need a woman who is strong. When I rebuild the clan, I will have strong heirs." Sasuke stated.

"So that's all you want? No one to talk to, no one to share moments with?" Naruto asked. Sasuke looked confused by the question. "Just looking for a strong woman isn't enough. You'll need someone to be there for you when you get your revenge. If you keep it all bottled in, you'll snap just like 'he who shall not be named'." Naruto explained. Sasuke was happy that he didn't even say the name but he wasn't convinced by Naruto's words.

"What do you look for a woman sensei?" Sasuke asked. Naruto thought for a while before answering.

"Well, the woman I marry will have to be accepting of my life. I kill people Sasuke, plain and simple. It doesn't matter that they are traitors, some females will see you in a bad light. I would also look for someone who's funny, a great conversationalist, trustworthy and the most important thing ever, can cook up a nice bowl of ramen." Naruto said with a smile. Ayame looked at him and shook her head.

"It's never going to happen Naruto-kun." Ayame said with a grin.

"Oh come on, why not? You've never judged me. Tenchu seems to like the idea." Naruto begged. After a minute of laughter, Naruto faced Sasuke. "I'm not saying accept your fan-girls but just think about what else you wish for instead of strength. Your mom was strong but that's not all she was. Think about it." Naruto patted Sasuke's shoulder and left some ryou for the ramen. He left the young avenger with a lot to think about.

–

Naruto appeared in the Hokage's office. He was in his Jonin uniform and waited for Hiruzen to tell him the mission. Hiruzen them looked at him.

"This mission is from the daimyo himself. It is a seek and destroy mission. A group of bandits have been troubling the caravans. These men are high organized and it has been confirmed that there is a shinobi in charge." Hiruzen said and handed Naruto a folder. He opened it and saw his target.

"Ketsueki huh? I've heard of her. She went rouge about six months ago from Kusagakure no Sato. Are we giving them the head?" Naruto asked.

"We will cross that bridge when we come to it. The problem that we have is that we can not locate the camp. That is why that you will be accompanied by two others and you will meet up with the samurai that will be at the last attack." Hiruzen stated.

"So who's going with me?" Naruto asked. His questioned was answered when the door opened. A young beautiful, black haired woman entered. She was wear a red skin tight suit and a chūnin vest. Her red eyes were alluring. The other was also a teenager his age. She was followed by three tan colored dogs. The two locked eyes with each other. Naruto scoffed and turned his head back to the Hokage. The woman looked a bit offended by the action but said nothing about it. Hiruzen looked at him.

"The woman of your right is our Genjutsu expert, Yūhi Kurenai." He introduced.

"It is an honor to be working with you Uzumaki Naruto." Kurenai greeted.

"The honor is mine. I've heard of your skills and you will be a great help." Naruto said.

"And you remember Inuzuka Hana?" Hiruzen asked with a bit of amusement. Naruto just looked at her, then knelt down to her dogs. They seem to enjoy the fact that he scratched behind their ears.

"How have you been boys? It'll be great working with you guys again." Naruto said happily. He stood up and faced the Hokage. He didn't even face Hana, which pissed her off, confused Kurenai and made Hiruzen sigh.

"Please be professional Naruto. Anyway, you are leave now. This is the location in where the samurai will be. Do your best and come back alive." Hiruzen said.

"Hai Hokage-sama!" they said.

* * *

><p><strong><em><span>Authors' Notes<span>_**: As you can see, the winner of the poll is Inzuka Hana. The story behind her Naruto will be explain in the next chapter. She will be Naruto's future love interest but in the beginning, they will not be friends. Like I said, their story will be explained in the next chapter.


	5. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

Kurenai felt a little uncomfortable. She was seated with her two comrades eating dinner. The tension in the camp was just very overwhelming. Since their departure from Konoha, neither one of them spoke to the other. She could feel that there was a history between them that did not yet get resolved. She was very concerned about the mission's success as personal issues could get in the way. She decided that it was time to break the tension a little.

"Naruto-san, can you tell us the details of this mission?" Kurenai asked.

"Sure." Naruto said. He placed his plate down and pulled out a map. He then pulled out the mission orders. "Our mission is very simple. We are to aid in the elimination of a large group of bandits that is being led by a woman named Ketsueki." Naruto said.

"I've heard of this Ketsueki. She is a missing-nin from Kusagakure that studies the same field as I do." Kurenai said.

"Correct, she also is a skilled assassin. As you see on the map, the samurai of Hi no Kuni and shinobi of Kusagakure have narrowed the area to a five mile radius. This was the considered area seeing that the group has attacked the roads there." Naruto said.

"It's not a bad position. They can go into Hi no Kuni and Kusachi no Kuni with some sort of ease." Hana added.

"It is why this team was put together. You and the Haimaru Brothers will begin to track any scent that would lead us and the attack force to their camp. Kurenai, you skills in Genjutsu will help us avoid and detect any Genjutsu placed in the area. I believe that's why they have not been able to find the group. Once the camp has been found, we will help in its destruction. No prisoners are to be taken." Naruto said.

"I take it that you will be taking on Ketsueki?" Hana asked with a tone.

"I am a hunter-nin, so yes. Besides, the daimyo himself has asked for my assistance in this. He wishes a message to be sent and what better way to send it than to send me." Naruto said.

"Konoha no Hakkō Ken, with the swing of his Tome Rarenai Ken, the battle is over in a flash. It is quite a reputation that you have for one so young." Kurenai said. Hana excused herself rather quickly and went to her bed-roll. Kurenai looked at the young hunter-nin. "Was it something I said?"

"You're not the first to gush over my title. Most of the people who do are young woman. Don't let it get to you. I must also apologize for the discomfort that myself and her have put on you." Naruto said.

"Oh, I was going to ask about that." Kurenai said.

"To answer your question and calm your concerns, we do have a history. It is a rather bad one but we will be able to complete the mission with professionalism. You do not have to worry." Naruto assured her. Kurenai let out a sigh of relief before making her way to her bed-roll. Naruto sent a looked toward Hana but quickly packed up the map and orders. With that done, he began his watch over the camp.

* * *

><p>Sasuke had a small frown on his face. It seems that his sensei had forgotten to let him know that his mother wanted him to make some friends. The red-haired woman had come before him and took away his folder. She told him to make a friend before the end of the day or he would not get it back. Normally he would argue but there was something about Kushina Uzumaki that was very scary.<p>

He didn't understand why she was so concerned about him making friends. He was an avenger and had no time for friends. They would only get in the way. Underneath it all though, he was very scared that if he make any attachments his brother would kill them. It was why he kept people at arms length. He never wanted to go through that pain again.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a small white dog. Sasuke looked at the dog and saw that his attention was on his meat bun. He looked at the bun and then at the dog. He took the bun and split it. He gave half to the puppy who ate it happily. The puppy barked a thank you to him. This caught the attention of his owner.

"Sorry about that Sasuke, Akamaru likes those meat buns." The boy said.

"It's not a problem Kiba." Sasuke stated.

"So Sasuke, is it really true? Are you really training under Naruto Uzumaki?" Kiba asked.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Sasuke asked with a question.

"Man, that guy is my idol. I want to be a hunter-nin like him one day and get a cool nickname like he has. He probably could have taught me a couple of things if my sister did blow it." Kiba answered.

"Sensei dated your sister?" Sasuke asked in clear surprise.

"Nope, they never dated. I think I had something to do with a mission they were both on. He still says hi to me, my mother and other clan members. Whatever happened, apparently it was my sister's fault." Kiba then got a little cautious. "You not going to wail on me, are you?"

"Why would I do that?" Sasuke asked in a deadpan tone. "What else do you know about sensei? I've tried to do some research on him but I can't find any."

"Well, I know that he's called the Konoha no Hakkō Ken, his old man was the Yondaime, his sister is a bitch…" Kiba kept talking while Sasuke listened. Unknown to them, Kushina watched with a small smile. It was a start in her opinion of Sasuke going down a brighter path. Now, she would wait for her son to return from his mission. She had a bone to pick with about giving out secret files.

* * *

><p>Naruto looked through the telescope at the bandit camp. It didn't take them long to reach the group of samurai and shinobi. After introductions were given, they quickly got to work. Hana and the Haimaru Brother easily found a scent and tracked them down. They were a bit confused when they reached a certain point. Kurenai instantly noticed the double layered Genjutsu. She dispelled it with ease but let everyone know that they would be aware of their arrival.<p>

Naruto passed the telescope to Kurenai. He turned to the leader of the samurai and the leader of the Kusa shinobi.

"Kurenai was right. They're on high alert after Kurenai dispelled that Genjutsu." Naruto told them.

"What is our plan of attack?" asked the Kusa shinobi leader.

"Ketsueki is pretty smart. She made a camp out of that hollow tree stump; making sure that anyone has to attack the entrance. I bet she has a system on how to defend the camp. There are two other options. We can drill an opening from above or come from below." Naruto explained.

"What do you suggest Uzumaki-san?" the samurai leader asked.

"Why don't we hit all three?" Naruto asked with a smile.

* * *

><p>Ketsueki was tapping her foot impatiently. She felt her double layer Genjutsu get dispelled and had her men ready for an attack. Suddenly a man appeared before her.<p>

"Well?" Ketsueki asked.

"You were right. A squadron of samurai is being led by a red-eyed woman. She's wearing Konoha's symbol." The bandit reported.

"Damn it, I know who that woman is. No wonder they disabled my Genjutsu. Get the men ready to defend the camp." Ketsueki ordered and the bandit ran off to tell everyone to get ready. It didn't take long for her to hear the sounds of battle. As she prepared to cast a Genjutsu within the camp, the ceiling fell. She looked up to see members of her village scale down the hole made in the wall. Suddenly, three drills shot out of the ground. She turned to see more shinobi from her village. When the guys from the ceiling landed, a few went to hit the defenders from behind while the rest joined the shinobi that came in from underground.

Ketsueki cursed and looked to see who was leading these attacks. The fifteen year girl she did not know but the blond, fifteen year old boy was someone that put the fear of Kami into her.

"T-The Hakkō Ken, w-why are you here?" Ketsueki stuttered.

"You're actions have made the fire daimyo very angry. You didn't think that you could steal, murder and hurt his people? Not to mention, the rape and abuse of three women that belonged to the daimyo's nephew. They were like family to him. They raised him from when he was a baby. You and your men are not leaving this camp alive." Naruto said with seriousness.

"Screw you! You'll have to catch me first!" Ketsueki spat. Naruto was instantly in front of her. She was shocked but quickly jumped out of the way of his kunai. Naruto whipped out another kunai and charged at her. Ketsueki defended as best as she could but the speed at which Naruto's hands flew was amazing. Ketsueki ducked a double slash by Naruto and got some distance. She did some hand seals and merged with ground. Naruto got into a defensive stance and waited for Ketsueki to attack. He rolled to the left as he felt someone coming for behind. He shifted to the right and felt something cut his cheek.

Naruto jumped back and readied himself to end this. He slammed his hands together and sent out a small pulse of chakra. It dispelled her Genjutsu. Naruto was on her quickly and drove his kunai into her chest. Ketsueki gasped before smirking. She suddenly turned into leaves, surprising Naruto. He suddenly was struck from below. Ketsueki came from out the ground and dug her kunai deeper into Naruto's gut. Blood dripped from his mouth as she smiled at him wickedly. That's when he exploded into smoke. The smoke blinded her from Naruto's attack. It was over quickly. Ketsueki let out a small gasp before her head was removed from her body. It fell to the ground, the rest of her body soon following.

Naruto looked at the beheaded woman with a sigh. Despite the path he took, he never felt good about take a life. He always felt that he was playing Kami with people's lives. Still, he knew that it had to be done. It was a part of his creed away. He was bringing justice to those who could not get any. He was also protecting his home from those who would do Konoha harm. His father did that and he will do it to.

* * *

><p>It was night again. Naruto, Kurenai and Hana were about a day out from the village when they decided to rest. The samurai and Kusa shinobi were probably halfway to their respective homes. They thanked them for their help. The Kusa lead shinobi told him that their village would send him Ketsueki's bounty. He thanked them and they were on there way.<p>

Naruto sat alone and looked at the moon. It was one of his most favorite things and it was something he did with his father. They would just sit there and talk about everything. He missed his father very much. He wondered if everything would be different if he was still alive. He could have helped him out with a lot in his life. He always had an answer for everything. One of those things was standing right behind him. He didn't turn to face her.

After a moment of silence, Hana began to speak.

"Is this how it's going to be Naruto? You're just never going to talk to me?" she asked.

"What do we have to talk about? I've said all that I've had to say to you." Naruto said.

"Yeah, I remember what you said and that was years ago. How much longer are you going to blame me for what happened? Why are you still angry with me? Why can't you just move on? I've apologized so many times that I can't keep count! How many more times must I say that I'm sorry!" Hana asked with some heat.

"You think that you could just apologize and everything will change?" Naruto asked with an edge. He stood and faced Hana with a glare. "What about sensei? Has she forgiven you? Oh she can't because she's dead and it's your fault. She told us to protect the villagers but you didn't listen! She had to risk her life to save you because you had something to prove. So yes, Hana Inuzuka, I have nothing to say to you and no amount of apologies is going to change that!" With that said, Naruto brushed pass her and made his way back to camp.

Hana stood there alone. She clenched her fist in anger. She had always regretted the death of their sensei. It was her fault after all. Her other teammate had forgive her but Naruto refused to. It made her so angry that he would hold it against her. She stayed there for a while. She would gave him time to cool down and her as well.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Authors' Notes<strong>_: Okay, I changed the reason behind Hana and Naruto's dislike. I got a lot of flak for choosing the way I did. Anyway, the story will be explain in the next chapter which I will change later today. I hope this makes you happy.


	6. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

Naruto, Kurenai and Hana stood in front of the Hokage. Hiruzen looked at the three as each one gave their report. He could see that Hana and Naruto were attempting to get their reports out. It seems that something happened between the two and they needed to get out of the office. Hiruzen did not choose Hana just for the fun of it. She was an incredible tracker and the daimyo requested one. He thought that they would be professional and keep their issues to themselves. It looked like that wasn't the case.

"Very good, the daimyo sends his thanks and was very pleased with your help. The leader of Kusagakure has agreed to send the bounty to your account Naruto for killing Ketsueki. You are all dismissed with the exception of Naruto. We have some things to talk about." Hiruzen said. Hana quickly left, followed by Kurenai. The aged leader looked at his best hunter-nin.

"I thought I told you to be professional." Hiruzen said.

"I was professional. I didn't talk to her all through the mission. We had a little argument last night but we were on the way back, so the mission was over." Naruto explained.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Hiruzen asked.

"Not really and why would I talk to you?" Naruto asked.

"Who else are you going to talk to? Kakashi? Jiraiya?" the old man asked. Naruto frowned but relented and sat down. "So, what happened?"

"She has the nerve to think that an 'I'm sorry' is going to change things. She the reason that sensei is dead. Her damn Inuzuka pride got in the way of the mission and sensei was killed. How can I trust someone like that? How can se expect me to forgive her for that? I never will!" He spat.

"So are you going to hate her for the rest of your life? She made a lapse of judgment which I believe she has paid for."

"She hasn't paid enough." Naruto muttered. Hiruzen smirked at him.

"I remember a time where you would leer at her. Jiraiya was so proud of you for picking such a hottie." he said with mirth. Naruto had a small blush on his face.

"I'm not going to answer that."

"That's neither a denial nor confirmation Naruto." Hiruzen said with humor. He gave Naruto a grandfatherly look. "I know that you loved Rin but do you believe that she would like to see her two students at each other's throats? Don't you think that Hana feels bad for what she caused? She has to carry that for the rest of her life Naruto. Don't add to her grief." Naruto took the advice with a thoughtful gaze.

"Thanks for the advice old man." Naruto said.

"No problem my boy. Now, we must discuss something else." Hiruzen then pulled out a file that Naruto immediately recognized. "This was given to me by your mother. I'll give you the chance to explain yourself. If I do not like it, then you will be enjoying the company of Ibiki and Anko tonight." He said. Naruto just sighed and wished for this day to end.

* * *

><p>Hana laid on her bed, the Haimaru Brothers laying their heads over her body. She petted the two nearest dogs, scratching behind their ears. Their presence did not help her mood as she was still a little depressed and angry. She remembered that mission clearly. They were on their second C-rank mission. She so wanted to prove that she was as strong as her mother and disobeyed her sensei, Rin. The student of the Yondaime had to leave her position to save her. She was hit with several kuni in the back and died. Naruto went on a rampage when he saw that.<p>

When they returned, he roared at her, blaming her for Rin-sensei death. Her pride got in the way again and she shouted right back at him, calling him a murder. The two teammates nearly came to blows if it was for her mother and his mother. Since that day, she attempted to apologize for her words and Rin-sensei's death but the stubborn blond wouldn't give her the time of day. It pissed her off.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. it opened to reveal her mother, Tsume Inuzuka.

"Tough mission?" Tsume asked.

"The mission itself wasn't tough. The aftermath was not pleasant." Hana replied.

"Ah, you tried to talk to the Uzumaki boy." Hana looked at her mother with surprise. "I am on the shinobi council and I do see some of those missions. So what happened?"

"I tried to get him to talk to me. My pride got the better of me again and he yelled at me. i don't know why he's being so stubborn? Everyone else has forgive me except him. It isn't like I wanted Rin-sensei to die! Does he think that he's the only one who grives?" Hana exclaimed.

"Rin was like family to him Hana. They were very close and he looked to her as aunt. Yes, this is kind of childdish of him to hold this grudge but it's understandable. You're also angry because this puts a little damper on your plans to 'mate' with him." Tsume said mirth.

"W-What are you talking about? I don't like that jerk!" Hana said while sitting up.

"Please, it's in your eyes. You've liked since you were placed on the same team. You would always sway your hips, knowing he would look. Let's not forget how angry you get when other women gush over him. If I recall, you 'convinced' a kunoichi to back off and there was that time with Teuchi's daughter." Tsume stated with a grin. Hana had a small blush on her face. "Listen, you're an Inuzuka and that means your loyal, courageous and most of all, stubborn. One day, you two will talk and your issue will be resolved. After that, you can jump his bones and make him your bitch."

"MOM!" Hana exclaimed. Tsume just laughed at her red faced daughter.

* * *

><p>The next day found a tired and pissed off Naruto and a struggling Sasuke on the training grounds. It wasn't bad enough that he had to explain his actions to Hiruzen but to Anko who couldn't keep her hands to herself. After that, he was confronted by his mother who proceeded to take him to the wood-shed. When he felt that he could move again, he found his student and dragged him to the training grounds. Right now, Sasuke was about to drop from doing so many laps. He looked at the stern look of his sensei.<p>

"Come… on… sensei. Can't… I… take… a… break?" Sasuke asked.

"Not a chance! How could you let my mother get that file? Do you know what I had to go through last night? I was molested, and then attacked." Naruto said with an edge.

"I… didn't… know… that… she… would… be… that… way."Sasuke gasped out.

"Well now you know. Okay then, you've been punished enough. Take a breather." Naruto said. Sasuke dropped to the ground, face first. Naruto placed a bottle of water next to him and dropped a towel on his head. He sat and leaned against one of the post. He watched as the last Uchiha grabbed the bottle of water and drank it. He then poured some of it on his face. Naruto just chuckled at him.

"Feeling better?" he asked. Sasuke nodded at him. "So, what's this about you making friends?"

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked.

"Word of the street, is that you've been sparing with Kiba Inuzuka. There is also a little planning from your fan-girls to take out the Hyūga heir. Care to enlighten me?" Naruto explained.

"They're not my friends. Kiba is a sparing partner that talks with me. Hinata and I are mere acquaintances." Sasuke explains.

"Kiba I can understand somewhat but the Hinata Hyūga was a surprise. How did that happen?"

"It's that bastard Kiba's fault. He decided to trick me and sell my first kiss. After I escaped, I was being chased by those rabid fan-girls when I ran into Hinata. We crashed into each other and my hand," Sasuke paused and had a small blush on his face.

"Your hand what?" Naruto asked.

"My hand… squeezed her breast." He said softly. Naruto looked at his student with surprise before falling over with laughter. Sasuke was red in the face as his sensei roared with amusement. "It's not funny!"

"Oh my Kami, my sides hurt." Naruto laughed. He managed to calm himself, only chuckling a bit. "I assume that Haishi doesn't know or you would be dead. So, did you apologize for it?"

"I attempted to but she kept running away. So I used… other means to tell her I'm sorry." Sasuke said.

"What did you do?" Naruto asked with a smile.

"I… sort of… kidnapped her." Sasuke said with a bit of shame. Naruto was once again laughing out loud and banged his fist on the ground. Sasuke didn't exclaim this time and waited for him to finish.

"So, let me get this right. You groped her and because you couldn't catch her to apologize, you kidnapped her. Please, continue." Naruto said with mirth.

"I took her to the roof so that I could apologize. She attacked me, hitting me a couple of times. After I managed to calm her down, I told her that I was sorry for what I did. I offered her anything to make it up to her. We sat away from each other for about five minutes before she accepted my apology. After another week of covering her chest when around me," Naruto snorted. "she joined me and Kiba for lunch."

"So you guys eat together every day?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah." Sasuke answered.

"Well I hate to break it to you but they may just be your friends. You may have also closed the rift between your clan and Hinata's. A grope could be considered a sign of marriage." Naruto said with amusement. Sasuke sputtered out denials only making the blond laugh.

* * *

><p>Naruto held the stopwatch as he watched Sasuke run through the course. He had just passed through the wall and was making really good time. He had just made it across the bar slide and made his way to the last bar. He used the bar to climb toward the top of the tower. This was where Sasuke lost some of his steam but it looked like he got a rhythm down and would actually make it. Sasuke reached the top and quickly climbed onto the platform.<p>

With a final surge, Sasuke dashed forward. He reached the button and pushed it, ending the run. He looked at Naruto who stopped the watch. The blond looked at him and gave him a smile. The young Uchiha cheered at his accomplishment. Naruto was very happy for Sasuke. It may have taken him a month and a half but he completed it.

With this business done, Naruto suddenly took on a serious expression.

"Sasuke, it is time to move on to the next step. Come on, we have to move to another place." Naruto said. Sasuke nodded and followed his sensei. Their trip took about an hour. Naruto lead Sasuke to an open field with a couple of trees. Sasuke watched as Naruto made a seal.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." Naruto called out. Four copies appeared and looked at the original. "You know what to do." The clones nodded and disappeared.

"What's going on sensei?" Sasuke asked.

"Well Sasuke, before we continue on, we need to activate something of yours."

"You mean,"

"Yes, we're going to attempt to awaken your Sharingan. While I would normally allow you to do it yourself, I think that if you activate it early you can get use to having it." Naruto explained.

"So what are we going to do?" Sasuke asked. He watched as a purple barrier appeared and was confused.

"Well Sasuke, you're going to have to survive." Naruto said. Sasuke barely got out of the way as Naruto made his move. Whatever he did made a tear in his shirt. Sasuke got some distance and looked at his sensei with surprise. "Not bad Sasuke, let's see if you can keep that up."

"Why are you doing this sensei?" Sasuke asked.

"The first reason is to activate your Sharingan. The second is so that you may conquer your fear. You may say that you will not be scared when it comes time to face your brother but he was an ANBU captain for a reason." Naruto unleashed his killing intent, making Sasuke weak in the knees.

"W-What?" Sasuke gasped.

"You will be facing something much worst than this Sasuke. Prepare yourself because I will not be holding back." Naruto said. Naruto suddenly did some hand seals with amazing speed.

"Futon: Atsugi!" Naruto shouted and launched a compressed tornado of air. Sasuke eyes widen and quickly took to the air. The wind whipped around and debris blinded him. He looked for his sensei but could find him.

"Where are you looking boy?" Naruto's voice came from behind. Sasuke reacted and threw a kick but Naruto stopped it. He drove his fist into Sasuke's gut and launched him into the ground. Sasuke groaned but quickly rolled out of the way of Naruto's knee. The blond charged at Sasuke who was on the defensive. "What's the matter Sasuke? Are you just going to keep retreating?" Naruto blasted him with a spinning sidekick that launched him toward a tree. Sasuke flipped in mid-air and softened the impact with his chakra. Naruto did a few more seals.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" Naruto spat out a large fireball that moved with amazing speed at Sasuke. Sasuke did a few seals of his own. He sunk into the ground just as the attack passed over him. Naruto placed his fingers on the ground and waited. He spun quickly and caught Sasuke's wrist. He ripped Sasuke out of the ground and slammed his fist into the gut. He then grabbed his head and slammed his knee into her face. He then launched a spin kick and sent Sasuke flying. He hit the ground hard and spat up some blood.

Sasuke struggled to stand and looked at Naruto. He watched him take a stance and reared his arm back. He could feel the killing intent coming from him. Sasuke could help but shake with fear.

'_Weak little brother,'_ Sasuke heard around him. '_You are not worthy of killing.'_ Itachi's voice just rang in his head. His voice was mocking him. He thought that he was not worthy of death. He left him alive so that he could torture him with his inability to save his clan. Well, he was going to sit here and take it. He would avenge his clan. He would make Itachi pay. He wasn't going to die here!

Naruto watched as Sasuke's eyes changed. Sasuke stood up and did some hand seals again.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" Sasuke shouted. A large ball of fire made its way toward him. Naruto just looked at the deadly ball of fire and narrowed his eyes.

"Ninpo: Onsoku Fūsoku no Ken." Naruto whispered. He whipped his hand upward. He motion was that of a sword being drawn from it scarab at a quick pace. Sasuke was shocked to she his fireball split in two. He was quickly knocked off his feet and sent flying after something knocked him back. He hit the ground and laid there unmoving.

Naruto walked up to the unconscious Sasuke and looked down at him with a smile. He picked him up very carefully and made his way to the hospital.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Authors' Notes<strong>_: Okay, I have changed the situation between Hana and Naruto. I like this idea and I'm sticking with it. I hope that you enjoy the updates. Also, it has been pointed out to me that I need a beta to help with this story. Is there anyone who would like to help?

_**Translation**_

_**Ninpo: Onsoku Fusoku no Ken**_ – Ninja Art: Sonic Wind Sword

_**Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu**_ – Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique

_**Futon: Atsugi**_ – Wind Release: Pressure Damage

_**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_ – Shadow Clone Technique


	7. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

Sasuke awoke with a groan. He winced as he opened his eyes and attempted to move. He looked around to see that he was in a hospital room. He saw that his chest and stomach was heavily taped. He tried to remember what happened to him when Naruto poked his head inside the room.

"Hey, you're finally up. The doctor owes me some money." Naruto said.

"Sensei, what's going on?" Sasuke asked weakly.

"Well, I beat the crap out of you." He stated simply. It caused Sasuke to look at him with wide eyes. "However, you gained something very important." He pulled out a mirror and put it in front of Sasuke's face. "Send chakra to your eyes." He ordered. Sasuke did as he was told and was shocked to see them. It was the Sharingan, his Sharingan. He had unlocked his clan's bloodline. Tears began to fall from his eyes as he looked back at his eyes.

Naruto smiled at his student and removed the mirror. He waited until he got himself together before speaking.

"I'm sorry that I whipped your ass but to activate your Sharingan, you had to be placed in a stressful situation. Almost getting killed seems to be the only way that would work." Naruto explained.

"Thank you sensei, thank you very much." Sasuke said with emotion.

"Don't sweat it but do not think that this gives you a license to copy everyone's hard work. You train just as you have when you did not have the Sharingan." Naruto said.

"Yes sensei." Sasuke answered.

"Good. I'll give you a week to get use to them and to heal up. After that, get ready for some real training." Naruto said and left. Sasuke just kept the happy smile on his face.

* * *

><p>Three days later, Sasuke was back at the academy. He was still very tender and was told not to train hard. He gave a note to the staff and they understood. He was limping a little when someone helped him walk. He turned to see Kiba.<p>

"What's up man? The way that you're walking, you must have been on the business end of an ass whooping." Kiba said.

"Must you put it that way?" Sasuke asked. Kiba just grinned at him. He helped Sasuke into class, much to the shock of his fan-girls.

"Kiba, what did you do to Sasuke-kun!" shouted Sakura.

"I didn't do anything. He was like this when I found him. It was probably his sensei that did this to him." Kiba said defensively. Hinata looked at Sasuke with concern and went into his pouch. She pulled out a small bottle with some cream in it.

"S-Sasuke-san, you s-should u-use this n-next t-time y-you change y-your b-bandages." Hinata said. Sasuke looked at the bottle with confusion. He looked her with a questioning gaze. Hinata had a little pink blush on her cheeks. "I-I make m-medical c-creams as an h-hobby. T-This will h-help y-you w-with y-your b-bruises." Sasuke and Kiba looked at her with awe.

"Wow, you would have to know which herbs to use and stuff. That's really cool Hinata." Kiba said excitedly.

"Thank you Hinata. I really appreciate it." Sasuke said with a small smile. Hinata smiled back and poked her fingers. The fan-girls were all glaring at the Hyūga heiress. Shizuka didn't look interested and waited for the class to begin. Kiba sat Sasuke down between him and Hinata, much to the fan-girls ire. The last Uchiha looked at the two people who were next to him. He couldn't help but feel really good about knowing them. Maybe, he really didn't need to be alone.

* * *

><p>Sasuke hit the post with his fists. Kiba was busy to train with him and Hinata had her own training. It had been three years and the now thirteen year old Sasuke was made a Genin. He passed the test two days ago without any problems. His attitude had taken a complete one-eighty in those three years. He was still considered a lone wolf but he was more open with certain people. He could now call Kiba his friend and comrade in arms. Hinata was a friend as well but she was a little more. He won't say that he liked her but there was a small attraction. It was because she listened while he spoke and was quite strong when riled up.<p>

His training under his sensei was going well. Naruto had stopped babying him once he got his Sharingan. He only allowed him to use it when they did Taijutsu spars so that he doesn't succumb to the weakness of his Sharingan, which was speed. He was not allowed to use it when it came to Ninjutsu. When he questioned it, Naruto told him that many Uchiha were beaten just because they felt that they had many jutsu. He explained that just because you learned a jutsu, didn't mean that you could use it well. He also pointed out how he learned jutsu without the Sharingan and warned him about being arrogant. Sasuke complied with his sensei. He later agreed with him in his decision as his sensei was giving him jutsu of every type. He had to work for them however, which was fine with him.

He still had some problems however. The fan-girls were getting really annoying. One time he exploded on them for teasing Hinata. He made them know that he would never respect or date any of them because they were nothing but wannabes. It did little to deter them but it did give them pause when confronting Hinata. He and Shizuka just couldn't get along. Whoever was training her, made sure that she could beat him. Their spars were brutal and she made it her mission to try and hinder his relationship with Naruto, Hinata and Kiba. Her Futon techniques were crazy strong but with his Sharingan; he was able to counter many of them.

In all, Sasuke felt stronger and felt that he was getting even stronger with each passing month. He saw that his brother was attempting to hinder his growth because he was not as angry all the time. He was still going to kill the bastard but he would not allow hate and anger to push him forward. He stopped hitting the post and sat down. He took out a book that Naruto gave him. It was a series of sword strikes and movements. He didn't get it but he wouldn't ignore the book. He was particularly interested in this downward slash movement. He could only wonder what Naruto had in store for him.

* * *

><p>Hiruzen was doing some paperwork. He had just come from the teacher's meeting. He was there to give his input on the future teams of Konoha. He had confidence that three of those teams would do just find. He was, however, I little worried about one team. It was that team that took almost an hour to agree upon. What made it even frustration was that a few teachers were franticly against the suggestion of Naruto Uzumaki's input on where Sasuke should go. He figured that Naruto knew he would never agree to make Sasuke his apprentice but it wasn't a bad decision to place the boy with Kurenai. He gave very good reason for it. Still, the teachers would not budge and he felt that these men were paid off by someone.<p>

As he stamped another document, a knock was heard. He ordered them in and it opened to see Naruto. He waved him closer and Naruto obeyed.

"So, did you grant one of my requests old man?" asked the eighteen year old Naruto.

"I think you know that the council will not allow you to have Sasuke as an apprentice. Perhaps, you should have been a bit nicer to my teammates and several civilian council members." Hiruzen said with a smile.

"Yeah, I'll try to remember that. What about my other request?" he asked.

"I tried to complete that. Your reasons were very good but apparently the teachers disagreed. I believe that several members of the council may have convinced them to go in the other direction." Hiruzen explained.

"Just so I understand, you are the Hokage, right?" Naruto asked.

"Don't start Naruto; there is so much I can do. If I overruled the decision, they would have right to claim that I was showing favoritism." Hiruzen said. Naruto just sighed in frustration.

"Exactly who are you teaming him with?" he asked.

"His teammates are Sakura Haruno and Shizuka Uzumaki with Kakashi Hatake as their sensei." Hiruzen said.

"You can't be serious! Kakashi I have no issues with. Hell, I can see what the council wants, even though it's a waste of time, but you're placing him with one of his most rabid fan-girls and his mortal enemy?" Naruto asked.

"That's a bit over the top Naruto." Hiruzen said with a deadpan look.

"The pink-haired voice box nearly blew out my ear drums when I caught her attempting to cut a piece of his hair. The last time Shizuka and Sasuke spared, they both used upper C-rank jutsu which I and my mother had to stop." Naruto said in a matter-of-fate tone.

"Have a little fate Naruto. They may grow to be a strong team." The old man said.

"Or, one of them kills the other in their sleep." He countered.

"Enough complaining, I have a mission for you." Hiruzen said. Naruto just shook his head and took the scroll.

* * *

><p>Sasuke ate with Hinata and Kiba as it would be the last time they would be together for a while. The teams were announced and Sasuke was not happy. What was the Hokage thinking placing him on a team with two of the most annoying people in his class? Sure, Sakura was thrilled but he and Shizuka outright disagreed. Shizuka even left the class to yell at the Hokage. He wished that he could see her get tossed out on her ass. Still, why was he cursed with such useless people?<p>

Kiba looked at his friend and smirked.

"Is our local sourpuss angry with his team? Aww, poor baby." Kiba said with mirth.

"Shut it mutt! At least you've got Shino and Hinata to cover for your mistakes." Sasuke spat. Hinata giggled while Shino remained quiet. The Aburame shinobi joined them for lunch. Sasuke never had any interactions with Shino but he knew that he was much stronger than he showed. Like Kiba and Hinata, he knew that Shino was reliable.

"Screw you Uchiha!" Kiba exclaimed.

"I didn't know you have fan-boys Sasuke." The four Genin turned to see Naruto sitting on the ledge. "So why aren't you with your team Sasuke?"

"Do you really have to ask?" Sasuke muttered. Naruto chuckled before turning serious.

"I need to speak with my student for a second." Naruto said and jumped down off the ledge. Sasuke quickly followed and landed down next to him.

"What is it sensei?" Sasuke asked.

"I'm just letting you know that I'll be out of the village for a while. Also, I'm really sorry that you got this team. The truth was I wanted you to be my apprentice. I knew that the council wouldn't agree but I wanted to put you on a team that would play to the skills that you would need to face your brother. Do you remember that woman that use to escort Hinata? I wanted her to be your sensei because I know she wouldn't take any lip from you. However, I was overruled and you're stuck with my sister and the pink stalker." Naruto explained.

"Can't you do something about that?" Sasuke asked.

"I know that you don't like it but you'll have to make due. Plus, try and work with Shizuka. You don't have to like each other but you have to come together now that you're teammates." Naruto said.

"I'll try but you know your sister sensei." Sasuke said. Naruto just nodded at him and let him go back to his lunch. He then turned toward a tree.

"The same goes for you Shizuka." Naruto said. Shizuka jumped out of the tree and looked at her brother.

"Are you trying to protect your student? Afraid that I'll lose it?" Shizuka sneered. Naruto sighed at his sister's attitude. He knew that she hated the fact that he was teaching her rival and not her. He didn't totally ignore her and did try to teach her but it didn't work. She was too impulsive and very demanding. She insulted her heritage of an Uzumaki and just wanted stronger techniques, one being the Onsoku Fūsoku no Ken. After a heated argument with her, she tapped into the Kyuubi's chakra and attacked. He easily stopped her using his Tenku Supiazu. Since then, the two had been at odds.

"Think whatever your want Shizuka, just try and be a good teammate to your team. Despite what Danzo thinks, you are not a one person army." Naruto said and used the Shunshin to get away. Shizuka just huffed and made her way back to the class room. She would be a great teammate when they were together but outside of the team, she was going to show both him and Sasuke that it should have been her who should have gotten the training.

* * *

><p>Danzo was enjoying his tea at a tea shop. It was a place where he would offend brought Shizuka as it was near the area where he trained her. His senses picked up when he noticed a familiar signature. He made a motion to his guards who just nodded. That's when Naruto appeared.<p>

"Naruto, what a pleasant surprise. Do you wish for some tea?" Danzo asked.

"No thanks, I have to be at the gates in a few minutes for my mission." Naruto answered.

"Ridding the world of injustice, sounds like something your father would do." Danzo said.

"Well, he was a man who could have changed the world if what happened didn't. I didn't come here to shoot the breeze with you old man." Naruto said seriously.

"Then why are you here?" Danzo asked.

"Seeing as how you've made Shizuka into your prized pupil, I would appreciate it if you taught her more restrain. She will have to learn how to wield the Kyuubi's chakra at one point but I think you need to stress the need for patience and control. I don't think you would want an out of control weapon."

"I will take that under advisement. What about your student? I have seen the change in him, however small it may be. Are you going to destroy that all by telling him the truth?"

"If it destroys it, then so be it. I could care less. You and the other two fossils are the only ones who actually care." Naruto spoke.

"You are playing a very dangerous game Uzumaki." Danzo said with a tone.

"Don't we all? Anyway, that's all I've come to say. Oh, there is one thing. When I told you to teach her patience, I don't mean to turn her into one of your mindless drones. Should that happen," The table which held Danzo's tea suddenly split in two and fell. "I hope that I've made myself clear." He said and vanished. Danzo looked at the table with a frown. That blond was become a serious threat. In the three years, he watched as Naruto became a very strong Jonin. He wasn't even sure that he would be able to take him without losing a few eyes. He made plans to watch the boy very carefully.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Authors' Notes<strong>_: Here we go another new chapter. Sasuke has his Sharingan and Shizuka can use a bit of the Kyuubi's chakra. Naruto is trying to protect both her student and sister. The next chapter will show the bell test and how they pass it. Please enjoy these updates and keep on reviewing.

_**Glossary**_

_**Tenku Supiazu**_ – Heavenly Spears


	8. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

Sasuke just stared out of the window and looked out of the window. He was starting to get very annoyed with waiting for his jōnin sensei. Every other team had been picked up by their sensei and was probably done for the day. He was alone with Sakura and Shizuka. One kept looking at him with hearts in her eyes. The other kept looking at him with resentment. Sasuke couldn't wait until this jōnin came.

"Oh great, we've got him as a sensei." Shizuka groaned out. Sakura turned to face Shizuka.

"What are you talking about?" Sakura asked.

"There is only one person who is this late. Our sensei happens to be Hatake Kakashi. What could that old man be thinking assigning him to us?" Shizuka grumbled.

"You know this guy?" asked Sasuke.

"Yes but I'm not telling you anything. You'll just have to wait and see." She answered him with a grin. Sasuke scoffed at her and turned back to the window. Sakura, however, did have something to say.

"Why are you such a brat Shizuka? Just because your dad was the Yondaime, your mother is the headmaster, the Kyūbi is sealed inside you and your brother is Sasuke-kun's sensei, you feel that you can talk to people however you feel like. You'll never be as good as Sasuke-kun so why don't you just accept it?" Sakura cried out.

"You need to shut your mouth Haruno before I shut it for you." Shizuka growled. "You're a disgrace of a shinobi. You think that your book smarts and _Sasuke-kun_ will save you. How about you learn to stand on your own feet?"

"She will learn to stand on her own feet. She just needs to be serious. Besides, her book smarts will be of use to the team. Not all of us think rushing blindly into a situation is a great idea." Sasuke said in defense of Sakura. He knew that it would have been a mistake to do that but he just wanted to stick it to Shizuka. Sakura looked at him with stars while Shizuka growled.

"Well now, you three look like you're getting comfortable." They all turned to see a man with grey spiky hair, one eye covered with his forehead protector and a mask covering his mouth and nose. He wore a standard jōnin uniform. Sasuke looked at this man and saw his laid back demeanor. He wanted to write him off but Naruto had beaten into him to never underestimate your opponents. Kakashi looked at his team with a critical eye.

"Are you guys Team 7?" All he got were dirty looks. "Very good, meet me on the roof in five minutes." He said before disappearing.

* * *

><p>Kakashi was reading a book while his team sat facing him.<p>

"Okay, why don't we get to know one another? Why don't you tell me about yourself?" Kakashi asked.

"Uh, can you show us how to do that?" Sakura asked.

"Are you serious? Are you really this dumb?" Shizuka mocked.

"Sakura possess a great question. We know each other but we don't know you. How about you introduce yourself?" Sasuke said.

"That's fair. My name is Hatake Kakashi. I have a lot of hobbies. I don't really hate anything. I have dreams. My goals are unimportant." Kakashi introduced. Everyone looked at him like he was crazy.

'_All we know is his name.'_ they all thought.

"Well now, let's hear your introductions. Let's start with you pinky." Kakashi said.

"My name is Haruno Sakura. I like…" she stared at Sasuke with a blush. "My hobbies are…" She stared again at Sasuke, blush still on her face. "My dreams are…" Sakura squealed with a blush. Kakashi just raised an eyebrow.

"What do you hate?" he asked. He watched as her yes darkened.

"I hate Ino-pig and Shizuka-baka." Sakura said with a glare to Shizuka. The blond girl glared right back.

'_Great, a fan girl.'_ Kakashi thought. "Okay then, you're next hime." Kakashi said.

"I've told you not to call me that one-eye." Shizuka spat. "My name is Namikaze-Uzumaki Shizuka. My likes are my uncle, Shimura Danzō, dango, my family and strength. My dislikes are you, my brother, useless shinobi and those who don't respect me. My dream is to show Konoha that I'm its protector and to become Hokage like my father." Shizuka said.

'_She's still a little brat.'_ Kakashi said. "Lastly, let's hear from our local brooder."

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I have few likes but I have respect for my comrades, Inuzuka Kiba and Hyūga Hinata. I have few dislikes. My ambition in life is to bring my brother to justice for the murder of clan. Before that, I look to get stronger and to rebuild my clan." Sasuke introduced.

'_It's a little different from what I expected. Naruto does have that effect on people.'_ "Well, you all have interesting lives. Our first mission together will be a survival mission. It will happen tomorrow at around six a. m." Kakashi explained.

"But we've done those missions in the academy sensei." Sakura said.

"Yes but this mission has a sixty-six percent failure rate. I would go into details but I don't want to scare you kids. Anyway, meet me at training ground seventeen and six a. m." With that Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Hey Sasuke-kun, would you like…" Sakura asked and turned toward Sasuke but found him gone. She turned to her left and saw that Shizuka was gone as well. Sakura sighed and left the roof.

* * *

><p>Naruto arrived at the front gate using the Shunshin. After he spoke with Danzō, he had ten bowls of ramen and said good-bye to his mother. His mission was a simple information gathering mission. He was asked for by his godfather, Jiraiya. He was pretty happy to see his godfather again as it had been a while. As he was signing out, he noticed someone coming toward the gates. She was walking with three dogs. She got closer to the gate and he got a better look at his former teammate.<p>

Hana had grown a little in four years. She was still a chūnin by the look of things. She seems to forgo the wire mesh blouse that she would usual wear giving a nice view of her cleavage. She was wearing a pair of black shorts and a wrist bracer. When she got closer, he noticed a small tattoo on her upper arm. She stopped in front of him and gave him a quick once over. The only additions she could tell was new were the short sleeve coat that was orange with black flames.

Hana looked at one of the guards who handed her a clipboard. As she signed in, her dogs walked up to Naruto. The young blond petted them before finalizing his signature. Hana decided to end the silence.

"So, how have you been Naruto-san?" she asked.

"I've been good. Coming back from a mission?" he asked.

"Yes, it didn't take long. How's the family?"

"The same as always, you?"

"The same," Hana finished and called her dogs to her. "Well, I wish you well on your mission." Hana said.

"Thank you, you have a good day." Naruto replied. Hana walked off with her dogs in tow. Naruto turned to peek at her retreating form. His vision focused on her rear for a little while and smirked at how tight it was. He turned back to the guard who smirked at him. He just shook his head and made his way out to his destination. Unknown to him, he was caught by one of Hana's dogs. She had a little smirk on her face.

* * *

><p>It was the next day and team seven was waiting for their sensei again. Each member was doing something to occupy their time. Sasuke was meditating, Sakura watched him and Shizuka was going through a taijutsu form. It would be two hours later when Kakashi arrived.<p>

"Hello my future students." Kakashi greeted with a happy tone. Shizuka and Sakura glared at him while Sasuke just opened his eyes and paid attention. Kakashi just chuckled and pulled out two bells. "Okay, I failed to mention this to you when we first met. You're not technically genin yet."

"WHAT?" shouted the two girls.

"What do you mean that we're not genin yet? Was the academy just a waste of time?" Sasuke asked with an edge.

"No it wasn't. The academy is designed to see if you have what it takes to become genin. The true test is given by the jōnin who will be your commander." Kakashi explained.

"Then the failure rate must be pretty high?" Sasuke asked.

"That is another good question. Yes, the failure rate is at sixty-six percent." Kakashi said.

"So what's our exam going to be?" Shizuka asked.

"It won't be that hard. All you have to do is get these bells." Kakashi said while holding up the bells. "You all have until noon to get them. The person without a bell gets sent back to the academy. If you want any chance of defeating me, you will have to come at me with the intent to kill."

"But we'll hurt you if we did that." Sakura said.

"You dolt, he's a jōnin. Most likely, he can kill us before we could kill him." Shizuka mocked. Sasuke said not and prepared himself.

"Now that all the questions are out of the way, let's begin. You may start now." Kakashi said. All three disappeared and went into the forest.

* * *

><p>Sasuke was setting up his area for an ambush. As he did, he thought back to everything that Kakashi had said. He knew that there was something more to this test. Naruto had taught him that there was always a hidden agenda in the ninja world. 'Nothing could be taken as a truth and anything can be a lie' was what Naruto said to him. He felt that there was something more to this test than just the bells.<p>

He finished his traps and looked around. He was satisfied with his trap making and he just needed to lead Kakashi here. That's when he heard an explosion.

* * *

><p>Kakashi was standing with his head in his book. Across from him, Shizuka was standing and breathing hard. He looked very uninterested, making Shizuka angry.<p>

"Damn it, take me seriously!" Shizuka demanded.

"And I should do that because?" Kakashi asked calmly.

"I've always hated that laid back attitude of yours." Shizuka spat.

"You're just mad that I'm one of the few that your brother has taught his Tome Rarenai Ken to and not you. Maybe if you weren't such a spoiled brat, he would have taught you as well." Kakashi said. That made Shizuka snarled. She took out two shuriken and sucked in some air. She blew out her breath onto the shuriken and launched them at Kakashi. The jōnin jumped over the first one and ducked the second but that was just what Shizuka wanted. She appeared in front of Kakashi and reared her fist back. She hit him hard in the face and watched him disappear in a puff of smoke.

Knowing that she had been had, she spun around to kick whoever was behind her only to have his kick caught. Kakashi then spun her around and tossed her into the river. Kakashi waited for her to surface but was surprised to see several kunai flying at him. He quickly dodged the attack only to be in the way of a wet and angry Shizuka. He watched as she did some seal and took a deep breath.

"Fūton: Shinkū Taigyoku!" Shizuka shouted and unleashed a powerful wind bullet. As he was about to sink into the ground he caught sight of Sakura just lying there. He was very surprised to see Sasuke grab her and moved her away using the Shunshin. He smiled beneath his mask, as the ball of wind consumed him.

* * *

><p>Sakura and Sasuke looked back at the spot where they once were. Sasuke let out a sigh of relief as he had been right about getting Sakura out of there. He could tell from his Sharingan that it was a very powerful technique. He looked toward Sakura and sighed when he saw her blush.<p>

"Thank you Sasuke for getting me out of there." Sakura said timidly.

"Next time, look at the situation and see it for what it is. Shizuka could have seriously hurt you if you stayed there." Sasuke said a little rudely. Sakura just giggled and stuck out her tongue a little.

"Yeah, I try to remember that." Sakura said. "So what are we going to do Sasuke?"

"I don't know. Kakashi is much stronger than I thought. It won't be easy to get those bells or to lure him to the spot I just set up." Sasuke said.

"Well, let me help. After all, we will be a team once we get those bells." Sakura said. That clicked something in his mind. A picture of Naruto's team came to his mind. It was him, Inuzuka Hana, an Aburame clan member and his sensei named Rin. He gave Sakura a serious look, which frighten her a little.

"Sakura, has there ever been a two person team in Konoha's history?" Sasuke asked. Sakura thought about it and shook her head in the negative.

"No, all Konoha teams fight in team of four or six." Sakura said.

"That's it. We need to get Shizuka if we're all going to pass." Sasuke said and took off. Sakura quickly followed him.

* * *

><p>It took all of Sakura's will power not to laugh at the predicament that Shizuka was in. She was currently buried up to her neck. She dared either her or Sasuke to laugh at her. Sasuke keep his senses sharp and told Sakura to watch his back. He looked at Shizuka and she looked back.<p>

"You don't like me and I can barely tolerate you but right now, we need to put our difference aside if we're all going to pass this test." Sasuke said.

"And why should I work with you? Aren't you my brother's favorite project?" Shizuka mocked.

"Because I know limits or rather it was beat into me to learn my limits. Kakashi is on a different level than either of us. I can really use your help in getting the bells. So what do you say? Do we have a truce?" Sasuke asked.

"Fine, we have a truce. I'll work with you when we do missions and stuff but that's as far as we go. We won't be friends and we won't be true comrades." Shizuka said.

"I can agree to that." Sasuke said and began to loosen the earth around her. After a few minutes, Shizuka was free. All three dashed into the trees, unaware that they were being watched by Kakashi.

"Well, things are about to get very interesting."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Authors' Notes<strong>_: So, the genin exam is a little different than before. I know that I got a lot of flames because of the pairing of Naruto/Hana. Those flames had a lot of merit so I changed the reason for their issues. They never dated but they were teammates and they have always had an attraction to each other. During a mission, their sensei, Rin, was killed by an enemy ninja because Hana got out of formation and Rin had to save her. Naruto blames her it and has never forgiven her, despite talks with his mother, Kakashi and Hiruzen. He does still find her very attractive but will not make a move on her because of this.

It does sound unlike Naruto to carry such a grudge but this Naruto is much different as he is older. He will forgive her eventually and they will act on their attraction for one another. Anyway, I hope this fixes any holes in the story. Please let me know as I do listen to my reviewers as they make the story good or not.


	9. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**_

Sasuke, Sakura and Shizuka were kneeling and faced each other.

"So what's our plan Uchiha?" Shizuka asked.

"I've set up an area with traps. We need to lead him to that area. Sakura, you're going to set yourself up and attack from a distance. Shizuka and I will lead Kakashi to the area. Do you know any genjutsu Shizuka?" Sasuke asked.

"A few." She answered.

"Good. Sakura, go and get into position." He ordered.

"Hai Sasuke-kun." Sakura left and made her way to the staging area. Sasuke and Shizuka made their way toward Kakashi.

_**XXX**_

Kakashi was waiting for them to attack. It had been ten minutes since Sasuke took Shizuka and Sakura into the forest. He looked toward the sky and realized that they had twenty minutes left. Still, he was a bit excited to see what they were going to do. He hoped that they got it together because he really wanted to lead them. Well, two out of three but he would lead them.

Suddenly, Kakashi felt funny. It was as if someone was messing with his chakra. He quickly dispelled the genjutsu and quickly dodged the barrage of shuriken. He landed and engaged Sasuke in taijutsu. Sasuke quickly disengaged and Kakashi dodged a Fūton jutsu. Kakashi kept moving as Sasuke threw more shuriken. That's when Kakashi saw that the shuriken were coming back. He jumped into the air to avoid them again but he was forced to block Shizuka's dropkick.

Kakashi hit the ground and rolled back. He watched as Sasuke did a few hand seals.

"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!" Sasuke shouted and spat out several small fireballs. Kakashi knew this attack and was worried. The attack was weak compared to how many Uchiha used the technique. The two genin charged at him and Kakashi readied himself. Sasuke threw a kunai but it was way off. That's when he heard the sound of a string being cut. The two broke off and entered the woods. Kakashi jumped over the flying kunai and pulled out two of his own.

He deflected a series of shuriken and kunai that came from all directions. He landed on the ground and immediately felt two hands grab his ankles. He was being dragged into the ground as two blurs came out of the forest. The blond blur was much faster and reared her fist back. She lashed out and caught Kakashi in the face. Sakura reached her sensei's side and cut the string off his belt. She caught both bells and ran back into the forest.

As she hid, she couldn't help but smile as she and Sasuke would become a team. Her attention returned to the fight when she watched Kakashi disappear and was replaced with a straw dummy. She was confused by this.

"Psst, Sakura." A voice whispered. Sakura whipped her head around and she was face to face with Kakashi.

_**XXX**_

Sasuke popped out of the ground with a scowl on his face. Shizuka stomped on the straw dummy with anger.

"That son of a bitch, I'll skin him alive!" Shizuka exclaimed.

"You're welcome to try." Kakashi said. Shizuka spun and saw him. He had Sakura over his shoulder. That didn't mean anything to Shizuka who charged at him. Sasuke told her to stop when the alarm clock went off. Shizuka stopped her attack and faced where the sound came from. "Well that's too bad. Well, let's get back to the stone and wake up Sakura."

_**XXX**_

The three genin sat in front of Kakashi who stood in front of them. He had his book out and read. It would be a while before he spoke.

"Well, I have come to a decision about this team." Kakashi said and faced them. "You three… pass." That surprised the trio which made Kakashi eye smile at them.

"But… but… we didn't hold on to the bells. I failed the team because I wasn't aware of my surroundings." Sakura said with a sad tone.

"It was never about the bells." Sasuke stated, getting the attention of Shizuka and Sakura.

"So you figured it out?" Kakashi asked.

"I wouldn't have if it wasn't for Sakura. It is as she said; Konoha teams work in groups of four or six. There has never been a three man squad." Sasuke explained.

"Technically that isn't true but Sakura is correct. Konoha teams do work in teams. Here's the key word, team." Kakashi explained.

"Just get to the point!" Shizuka said.

"Teamwork, he was testing how we function as a team." Sasuke said.

"Ding, that's the right answer. The bells were just a distraction. It was to see if you all can put the team before your personal agendas. Among you all, Sasuke is the only one who gets that. He saved Sakura from your reckless attack and he helped you out when you were neck deep into the ground." Kakashi said. Shizuka balled her fists in frustration. "Still, Sasuke still has that lone wolf mentality. Before you even considered rescuing Sakura, you were going to face me alone right? You did watch my fight with Shizuka so you could see any weakness in my attack." Sasuke's look told him everything. He then faced Sakura.

"I am impressed with you Sakura because you realize that you have faults. However, your infuriation with Sasuke can become a liability. Just because you don't like Shizuka is no reason to leave her out there to the wolves." Sakura looked ashamed. That's when he faced Shizuka who looked at him in defiance.

"I don't know why you're angry Shizuka. You allowed your anger to get the best of you. All I have to do is mention that Naruto is training Sasuke and you'll lose it. You think just because you have a lot of power and a lot of chakra, that you are unstoppable. You are not a one woman army. Even your brother needs help. Your jealousy and frustration is also a liability." Shizuka huffed and turned her head away. That made Kakashi sigh but he moved on.

"Either way, these are things we can fix. You all must remember this team's creed; those who disobey the rules are trash but those who abandon their teammates are worse than trash. We'll meet here tomorrow at seven and we will begin your career as Konoha shinobi. For now, I'll treat you guys to lunch." Kakashi said. Sakura cheered and everyone stood up. They followed Kakashi back to the village.

_**XXX**_

Naruto looked through a telescope from the hide he created. He was looking at a bunker that was guarded by two shinobi. They had forehead protectors that had a music note on it. He had been doing this for a week now. It was important but so very boring. He couldn't understand how his god-father did this all day.

'_Speaking of the pervert, where the hell is he?'_ Naruto wondered. He got his answer when Jiraiya entered the hide. He gave his god-father a frown. "Where the hell have you been Ero-sennin?"

"Sorry kiddo, the ladies couldn't get enough of me. I barely got away." Jiraiya said with a happy grin.

"More like they knew that you had deep pockets and wanted a tip." Naruto countered.

"Maybe if you got laid, you wouldn't be so crabby. What are you, eighteen now? From what I've heard, you have all those young women wanting your child." Jiraiya countered.

"They only want the name, not the person. You might be okay with that but I'm not." Naruto answered.

"Spoken like your father, he never did experiment even though he had a load of girls after him. He only had eyes for Kushina. So who's the girl that you have eyes on?" Jiraiya asked with a smirk.

"That would be none of your business." He said.

"So it's Tsume's daughter huh? She's your age right? From what your mother tells me, you haven't spoken to each other in eight years. Are you talking to one another now?" Jiraiya asked.

"Again, that would be none of your business." Naruto said. Jiraiya just chuckled at his godson.

"You should listen to a man who knows Naruto. I often wonder if I had made my move, I would be married and living a happy life. What happened was tragic but you both need to move on. If you continue to hold this grudge, you miss out on something great." He explained.

"I've already let it go. I know what happened was a mistake. I know what happened hurts us both. It's just that… too much time has passed. We can never go back to how things were." He said. Jiraiya could hear the sadness in his voice. "Besides, you could have been married a long time ago. That woman from Nadeshiko no Sato may have liked you for your sperm but she was just your type. Beautiful, strong and she could give you a run for your money. She was a much better choice than the hag."

Jiraiya didn't answer Naruto. He knew Naruto's issues with his teammate and he would never change his mind about it. He just stayed quiet and continued their surveillance.

_**XXX**_

Two weeks later, Naruto returned home. He had just given his report to the Hokage. He was given two days to relax for a job well done. He entered his house to see a bowl of ramen with a note in his mother's hand-writing. As he neared the kitchen, he heard the sound of flesh hitting wood. He made his way to the backyard. He got there and saw Shizuka hitting the training post outside. He was confused because it was way too early for her to be home. Kakashi was lazy but not that lazy.

"Shouldn't you be with your team?" Naruto asked. Shizuka jumped and spun to face her brother.

"Damn it, I've told you not to do that!" Shizuka exclaimed.

"That just makes me want to do that even more. Anyway, shouldn't you be doing a mission right about now?" Naruto asked. Shizuka scoffed at him.

"Those aren't missions, they're chores." Shizuka stated.

"While I do agree with you, those missions are designed to promote teamwork. If I remembered clearly, that was your worst subject in the academy. Before you even dispute it, you forget that mom is the head master." Naruto said.

"So what, all that training and we're pulling weeds. It's a joke. I didn't train for this. We should be out in the field." She stated.

"And you're wondering why you're not out in the field? Kakashi isn't going to recommend any of you for a higher mission if you don't show that you can function as a team. You think he doesn't know that you're using the Kage Bunshin to do your missions? Why should you skip out on the missions while Sakura and Sasuke do all the work?" He asked.

"He's right you know?" a voice said. Shizuka jumped again and spun to see Kakashi.

"Damn it, stop doing that!" Shizuka shouted.

"Everything your brother has told you is true." Kakashi said.

"Oh and Sasuke is being a team player?" Shizuka sneered.

"Actually, he is. He has been showing Sakura the tree climbing exercise. Her control is so good that I'm considering suggesting to her that she should study Iryō Ninjutsu." Kakashi explained.

"How are you going to do that? Sakura isn't the hard working type." Naruto said.

"I was going to nudge her toward it mentioning Hinata's skill with medical creams." Kakashi said.

"That's not nice dude." Naruto said. Kakashi just shrugged and disappeared. Naruto returned to facing her sister. "See, Sasuke is being a team player. Maybe you should stop thinking about what's good for you and what's good for the team." Naruto said and left his sister alone. Shizuka just scoffed at him and returned to her training.

_**XXX**_

Like always, the members of team Kakashi was waiting for their sensei to arrive. Shizuka was lean against one of the post that was away from her teammates. She turned to watch them. Sakura was running up and down the tree while Sasuke was doing a training form. When he finished, he would check up on Sakura and then do the form again. It made her think about what Naruto and Kakashi told her yesterday.

She would usually right it off because it was just another lecture. Still, Sakura had improved from what she was. She was catching up, even though it would be a long gap for her to fill. She was able to keep up with her and Sasuke, which grinded on her nerves because it proved that they were right. She didn't want to be the odd man out so she took a deep breath and swallowed her pride.

Shizuka walked over to wear they were. Sasuke saw her coming and stopped his form. She brushed pass him and stood at the tree Sakura was stuck to.

"Hey Haruno." Shizuka called out. Sakura looked down at her.

"What do you want Namikaze?" Sakura asked. Her answer was a scroll tossed to her. She caught it and looked at it.

"It's a genjutsu scroll. I figure since your chakra control is _so superior_ you can use it better than I can." Shizuka said sarcastically.

"Wow, thanks Shizuka." Sakura said with shock.

"Think nothing about it. If this reduces you uselessness, who am I to criticize?" She said with a smirk. Sakura puffed out her cheeks and was red in the face. She began screaming at the Namikaze princess who ignored her. That was until she said something that pissed her off and she shouted back. Kakashi just watched with a sigh. While it was a start, they still had a long way to go. He would wait a week before he requested a C-rank.

_**XXXXX**_


	10. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9**_

Kakashi sat with a book in his hand and his ear to his radio. He was listening in on his genin who were currently on their latest D-rank mission. In truth, this was a borderline C-rank mission as it involved the cat of Madam Shijimi. He didn't know how long that cat had been alive but it had been the bane of genin everywhere. As he continued to listen in, he had to sigh in disappointment. It looked like Shizuka went lone wolf again. He was happy to hear Sasuke and Sakura work together to use her impatience to capture the cat.

Kakashi was a worried about his team. At times, they would show amazing teamwork. Yet, it would quickly fall apart because of certain issues. Sasuke was the least of his problems. The last Uchiha worked with the girls even though he found them annoying. He would offer help and actually train at their pace if it would help. He still pushed himself harder and did have that air of superiority but he was quick to curb it. Sakura was half and half. She did begin to take her training serious, eating more and working harder. His friend at the hospital was willing to help her with Iryō Ninjutsu. He even showed her how to recognize and dispel genjutsu.

Still, she was a die-hard fan girl. She was still gush over Sasuke at the worst times. When that happened, her improvement would decline rapidly. She would always apologize and say that it wouldn't happen again but he knew better. Shizuka, where could he begin? She was still that arrogant, rude little girl that he remembered. She would work with her teammates for five minutes before allowing her frustration to control her. She argued constantly with him, Sasuke and Sakura. She had no respect for anyone. She wasted chakra on useless things which irked him. She would demand that she learn a new technique every day.

While he could see great things for this team, he was really worried that they would kill each other if pushed hard enough.

"_Kakashi-sensei, we have Tora."_ Sakura voice came over the radio.

"Wow! That was quick. I thought after your plan did not work, it would have taken you longer." Kakashi said.

"_Sasuke-kun came up with a plan after Shizuka messed up."_ Sakura said.

"_Hey, don't blame this on me! Your plan was stupid to begin with! If we did it your way, we would be out here all day!"_ Shizuka shouted.

"_There was nothing wrong with the plan. You jumped the gun and tripped the trap. If you were a little more patient, we would have been done a lot sooner."_ Sasuke said.

"_I don't need you lecturing me Uchiha! You're not my damn brother!"_ Shizuka growled.

"_Stop threatening Sasuke-kun!"_ Sakura shouted.

"_Bite me!"_ Shizuka spat.

"Alright, that enough!" Kakashi exclaimed. "Let's meet up and make our way the Hokage tower." He was glad to hear no more arguments. He sighed and hoped that his hair didn't get grey from this.

_**XXX**_

Kakashi couldn't believe his bad luck. He just stood on the sidelines with Sakura and Sasuke while Shizuka exploded on the Sandaime. She was also arguing with Iruka would was helping the Hokage with missions today. At least, she did not act this way in front of the daimyo's wife. He could see that the 'God of Shinobi' did not enjoy the words that Shizuka was speaking. He didn't like them either and was wondering how disappointed his sensei would be in his daughter.

That's when things suddenly turn interesting. Having enough of Shizuka's rant, Hiruzen hit her with a bit of killing intent that stopped her cold. He fixed her with a glare that made the Kyūbi jinchūriki gulp.

"I believe that will be enough of that. I must speak with your uncle about what he teaches you. We are not weapons to be flashed around carelessly and certainly not to prove that we are the strongest. You may contain the strongest of the buji but with that attitude of yours, I'm more incline to lock you away." The Sandaime said seriously.

"I-I'm sorry Hokage-sama! I was out of line." Shizuka quickly said.

"Yes you were and it better not happen again." Hiruzen said. She nodded and stepped back. That's when Hiruzen saw Sasuke step forward. "Yes Sasuke, do you have something to say or add?"

"While I do not agree with my teammate, I do believe that we should have a higher rank mission. I understand that D-rank missions are to see how well we come together as a team but would a C-rank show how much of a team we have become?" Sasuke asked. Hiruzen rubbed his chin and looked at the last Uchiha. He then looked at team Kakashi's record. He had to admit that they did their missions with efficiency.

"Your words ring true Sasuke. However, I will leave the decision to your sensei. Hatake Kakashi, is your team ready for a more difficult mission?" Hiruzen asked the one-eye jōnin. Kakashi looked at the Hokage.

"While rough around the edges, I do believe that they are ready for a more difficult mission." Kakashi said.

"Very well, I do have a C-rank mission here. Bring in the client." Hiruzen said. In came a man whose clothes were messy and stunk of booze. He took one look at the team and had a small scowl.

"This is what I paid for? A bunch a brats?" He looked at each of them. "The black haired kid looks alright and the pink haired girl doesn't look too useless. The blond worries me." Shizuka looked ready to explode but she was cut off by Kakashi.

"Don't worry about it sir. I am a jōnin and will be enough for any bandits we may come across. My team is no slouch either and can protect you." He said.

"Alright then, as long as they get me back to Nami no Kuni, I could care less." He said and faced the team. "My name is Tazuna, the great master bridge builder. I'm going to trust you with my life."

_**XXX**_

"Thanks Ino." Naruto said as he left the Yamanaka flower shop. It was his first stop after he came from the front gates. He and his mother were there to wish team Kakashi well. When they were out of sight, Naruto made his way to the flower shop to get a bouquet. He made his way to the cemetery to place those flowers on the grave of his sensei. It would be eight years since her death. He always made his duty to visit her grave on this day and have some tea later on. It was his way to honor her.

He reached the cemetery and made his way to Rin's grave. He looked at the headstone for a while before placing the flowers down. He clapped his hands together and closed his eyes. He gave a small prayer. He opened his eyes and stood up to leave. When he turned to leave, he saw Hana standing there. She was in her hospital clothes and also holding a bouquet of flowers. The two stood in silence for a while before Hana spoke.

"I can leave if you want." Hana said.

"You don't need to. She was your sensei too. I just finished anyway." Naruto said. He walked pass her and Hana continued toward the grave. Naruto then stopped himself and was in thought. Making a decision, he turned to face Hana. "Hey Hana, you want to have some tea after you're done here?" the question shocked the young Inuzuka. Not to be rude, she quickly got out of her shock and faced him.

"Sure, I would like that." Hana said.

"I'll be outside." Naruto said and walked out of the cemetery.

_**XXX**_

The team walked in diamond formation around Tazuna. It had been a couple of hours since leaving Konoha on their mission. Sasuke was in the front position while Sakura and Shizuka covered the flanks. Kakashi took the rear, reading his book. The trip was pretty quiet with an occasional question coming from Sakura. As they continued on, Sasuke caught the sight of a puddle. He found it weird since it hadn't rained in days. He placed his hand behind him and acted like he was scratching his back. What he was actually doing was using hand signs, alerting Kakashi and Shizuka. Shizuka saw the puddle and looked ready to take out her opponents when Kakashi stopped her. She saw him signal her to wait and see, which annoyed her. She sent the message back to Sasuke who nodded. He sent a sign to Sakura who nodded.

As they walked pass the puddle, two men rose out of the ground. They quickly rushed Kakashi and wrapped him up with a shuriken chain. The team watched as Kakashi was ripped to shreds by the two. Sakura screamed at the gore she witnessed. They then set their sights on the old man. They rushed at the genin with deadly intensions. Sasuke quickly activated his Sharingan. He could see the two men move at a much slower speed. He quickly launched a shuriken that caught the chain and stuck it into a tree. He threw a kunai as hard as he could and stuck the chain in the tree. Shizuka charged forward, creating a clone. They slammed their fist into their guts, knocking the wind out of them.

They grunted but were quick to regain their bearings. They broke free by detaching the chain from their gauntlets. They destroyed the clone and knocked Shizuka back. She hit the ground with a thud. She shook the cobwebs out and looked to see one of the attackers shadowing her. His hand was raised, ready to stab her to death. She was saved by Sasuke, who grabbed her and replaced the both of them with two logs. He reappeared safely with Shizuka in his arms. He looked up with his Sharingan to see that the two men were dealt with by his sensei. Sakura was okay as well and he was glad to see that she protected the client.

"You can let me go now." Shizuka said with a tense tone. Sasuke released her and stood.

"You're welcomed Namikaze." Sasuke said.

"I didn't need your help. I would have substituted with something eventually." Shizuka said. Sasuke didn't answer her and walked up to Kakashi and Sakura. He looked at Sakura.

"Are you alright Sakura?" he asked.

"Y-Yes, thank you for your concern." Sakura said with a small blush on her face. Shizuka rolled her eyes while Kakashi smiled under his mask.

"You guys did very well. These guys aren't slouches. Still," Kakashi looked at Tazuna. The bridge builder looked fearful under his gaze. "Why would the Oni Kyōdai be after you?" he asked him.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." Tazuna said with a stutter.

"I wouldn't ask you because three members of this team are prime targets. However, they were definitely were coming after you. They dealt with the greatest threat, me, and went straight after you, not considering my students as a threat. Now, you can tell us the truth or we can leave you here." Kakashi said. Tazuna sighed, knowing that he was caught in a lie.

"Fine, I will tell you the truth. Currently, Nami no Kuni is in the grips of a man named Gatō." Tazuna began.

"Gatō? You mean Gatō of Gatō Shipping Industries?" Shizuka asked.

"He may show himself as a wealthy business man but that is just a cover. He uses his business for illegal deals. He arrived in Nami and we believed that he would help us flourish with trade. He tripled prices and took over most of our businesses. He has killed anyone who has spoken out against him. This bridge is our only hope in breaking his hold." Tazuna explained.

"If the bridge connects to the mainland, it would disrupt his illegal dealings." Kakashi said.

"This mission just got bumped up to an A-rank sensei, hasn't it Kakashi-sensei?" Sasuke asked.

"It most likely has Sasuke. We should go back to the village." Kakashi said.

"What? We're going back just because it's gotten harder? I say, we continue this mission and show this Gatō what we're made of. This is what we trained for right?" Shizuka stated.

"We're genin Shizuka! This mission is way over our heads! I don't want to leave him but we can continue this mission!" Sakura shouted.

"You might be a coward Haruno but I was trained to kill. I say, we continue on." Shizuka spat. Sakura looked ready to explode but Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder. He looked at Sasuke.

"What do you think Sasuke?" Kakashi asked.

"I think both of them have very valid points. While I would like nothing more to test my skills, it would be unwise to continue. Those guys were at least chūnin. If we continue, we probably would be up against a jōnin. Still, I think we should continue but we send word that we need back-up." Sasuke said.

"Well, that's two against one. We'll continue on but I will go with Sasuke's suggestion. I know who I would want on this mission." Kakashi said. He told the team to stay with Tazuna while he sent a message. Tazuna thanked them all as they waited.

_**XXX**_

Hana and Naruto sat next to each other at a tea shop. It had been ten minutes since they arrived to the tea shop and they had not spoken to one another. They just enjoyed their tea and dango. They stared out into the street and watched the world pass by. After another minute, Hana broke the silence.

"It's been a while since I visited this shop. How about you?" she asked.

"I usually stop by on this day." Naruto said. They fell into another uncomfortable silence.

"I'm surprised that you asked me to come with you. We haven't spoken to each other since that mission three years ago. We may have said hi to one another but that's about it." Hana said.

"I've gotten some perspective in the last three years." He said to her.

"Oh, would you like to share?" Hana asked.

"I've blame you for Rin-sensei because she was family to me. She brought me into this world and showed me the way of the shinobi. When she died saving you, I immediately blamed you because you were trying to prove something. I thought about that day recently and I realized that I was being a fool. You, me and Zaji were family to her. If the roles were reversed, she would have done the same for me and Zaji. That was just the person she was. I put more blame on you and I shouldn't have." Naruto said. Hana had a very surprised face but it turned into a small, satisfied smile.

"So, what happens now?" Hana asked softly. Naruto sighed and looked toward the sky.

"I'm still going to need time. Not a lot of time but enough to get over it. Meanwhile, we can try being friends. It's all I can offer you right now." Naruto said.

"I can accept that." Hana said. After another silence moment, she spoke again. "So, what are your interests?" Naruto chuckled at the question. Hana giggled as well as the two got to know each other again.

_**XXXXX**_

_**Oni Kyōdai** _- Demon Brothers


	11. Chapter 10

_**Chapter 10**_

Kakashi hid another marker just so that the back-up would know that they took this route. It would be a little difficult to see since the fog was a little thick. However, the person that he asked for would easily find it as it was her who taught him how to use these markers. Once the marker was hidden, Kakashi entered the boat that was waiting for them. The boat man pushed off and they were on their way.

After a couple of minutes, an annoyed Shizuka looked at the boatman.

"Why don't you have a motor on this thing? We could have been across the river in a matter of minutes." She complained.

"First off, keep your voice down. Secondly, Gatō has patrol boats that circle this area. A motor would have made too much noise." He whispered harshly. She huffed at the man but remained quiet. After an hour, they saw the bridge that was being built. Everyone had to admit that it was an impressive piece of work. That's when Kakashi caught Tazuna's attention.

"Tazuna, can you tell us a little more about Gatō?" Kakashi asked.

"Like I said, Gatō first came here with an offer to increase our trade. We are a nation of islands and the only way we communicate or trade is by the sea. We heard about how well the Gatō Corporation did and we did not think much about it. When he situated himself in the nation, things began to go wrong. Prices were tripled and we barely got any form of trade or communication. That's when the towns were over-run with thugs and thieves. When we complained, we were made examples of. They even killed a man that I considered a son. Since then, we have been under his thumb." Tazuna explained.

"Did you try to go to other villages? Any of those that was close to you?" Sakura asked.

"Kirigakure is out as you would need to contact them by sea. There is also the fact that Kirigakure's situation is still unknown. Kumogakure would have been another choice but the travel would have been long." Sasuke said.

"The kid is right. Also, we don't have such great relations with Kumo after something that happened in the past. Anyway, that's why I came to Konoha. I knew that we would have enough for a C-rank mission but I lied about the danger." Tazuna said.

"I wouldn't worry about that anymore since we're coming with you. Our back-up should not be too far away and we can definitely deal with any other threat Gatō may have." Kakashi said. Tazuna nodded at that. The rest of the trip was done in silence.

_**X-X-X**_

Naruto, dressed formally, was waiting for his meeting with the daimyo. He didn't know why the daimyo asked for him but who was he to ignore the summons. He and the daimyo were very close when he spent some time as the guard for one of his brothers. He found him funny and witty. He also did save the life of his daimyo when some assassins attempted to take his life. It was because of this that Naruto was able to get the daimyo's help with the Uchiha situation.

Naruto looked up when one of his aids called for him. He stood and entered the room. When he entered, he saw the daimyo and his brother, the man he protected while he was here. He was curious as to why he was here as well. Naruto walked up, dropped to his knees and bowed his head low.

"Daimyo-dono, Koga-dono, it is good to see you again." Naruto greeted. He raised his head and faced the two.

"As it is good to see you, my boy. You have grown into a fine young man. I bet that you are beating the girls off with a stick." The daimyo teased him.

"Well, I have many admirers but they are quite phony in their pursuits." Naruto answered.

"Well said, well said, how are your mother and sister doing?" he asked.

"My mother is doing well and is still headmaster at the academy. My sister became a genin and is now serving Konoha as I am." Naruto answered.

"Good, I hope that she becomes as great as you. You are probably wondering as to why I have called for you." The daimyo said. Naruto nodded and the daimyo turned to his brother. Koga looked at Naruto with weary eyes.

"Naruto, do you remember my eldest, Benjirou?" Koga asked. Naruto did remember the eldest son of Koga. He was an arrogant and spoiled little brat. Three years his senior, the young man thought that he didn't have to earn anything as he was a relative to the daimyo. When he guarded Koga, Tatsu attempted to treat him like a servant. He showed the arrogant boy how much of a servant he was.

"How is Benjirou?" Naruto asked.

"He has gotten worst. Apparently, he is displeased that he has to share an inheritance with his young siblings. He left with two of his friends and stole some of his inheritance. While this would not really bother me, I have gotten word that he has been wasting it on attempting to get the affection of a kunoichi well beyond his age." Koga said.

"Who is this kunoichi?" Naruto asked.

"She is one of Hiruzen's students." Koga stated. That statement made Naruto's eyes harden. Tsunade was not a person that Naruto liked at all. He had met her when he was selected by Jiraiya to go and get her so that she could become the Godaime. There was the added bonus that his mother needed medical help. Not only did she refuse but insulted his father. She never saw the punch coming and was sent down to the ground by it. He then blasted her, calling her a disgrace of a Senju and a child. He told her to just get over her grief and grow up.

The comments did not make Tsunade happy and she sent him into a tree. Jiraiya stepped in before he could use his Onsoku Fūsoku no Ken on her. In the end, Tsunade walked off but her apprentice went back with them. He was tasked with returning her back to her. Jiraiya went with them just in case. Tsunade mocked him again but Naruto didn't bite. He called her the weakest of the Sannin, that he was applauded that Uzumaki blood ran through her and that her deceased loved ones would be so disappointed in her. Jiraiya had to hold her back from killing him.

Naruto returned to facing Koga and the daimyo.

"So, what do you wish of me to do?" Naruto asked.

"I want you to track my son down and bring him to the barracks near the capital. I have spoken to one of generals there and he has agreed to teach my son the meaning of hard work. Will you do this for me Naruto?" Koga asked.

"It shall be done Koga-dono."

_**X-X-X**_

The fog was thick but team Kakashi was walking without too much trouble. The team had Tazuna surrounded in diamond formation and making their way to his home. They kept their eyes open for any other ambushes. Shizuka caught something in her sights and launched a kunai. It got everyone on edge as she checked to see what she was aiming for. It was revealed to be a small, white furred rabbit.

"Shizuka, look what you almost did!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Sakura, stay quiet!" Sasuke said. "There's something up with that rabbit." Kakashi had to agree with Sasuke. Its fur was white but that was the wrong color for the season. It meant that this rabbit was kept indoors. It was used as a Kawarimi. That's when he heard the sound of something flying through the air. He was happy to see that his team heard it as well. He grabbed Tazuna while Sasuke grabbed Sakura. Everyone hit the ground as something big came flying at them. It embedded itself in a tree. That's when someone appeared on the thing, which turned out to be a huge board sword.

The man standing on the sword was tall, muscular person. He wore a pair of baggy pants with stripes and no shirt. The only thing that covered his chest was a strap that was probably used to hold the massive blade. He also wore cammo leg warmers and arm warmers. He had a mask on that was made of bandages. He looked down at the group.

"I'm impressed. I figured that you would be the only one who would have sense my blade coming. I guess your little brats are skilled after all." The man said. Sasuke stood up and instantly moved toward Tazuna. Sakura followed suit and the two looked ready. Shizuka looked at the shinobi and noticed the hitai-ate was from Kirigakure. "Still, I can see why the Oni Kyōdai lost. I wasn't expecting the great Sharingan no Kakashi to be guarding the bridge builder." He said.

"I was surprised as well. I didn't think someone like Gatō could afford the services of the Kirigakure no Kijin, Momochi Zabuza." Kakashi said. Sasuke remembered the named and was further on guard. Sakura and Shizuka noticed this.

"You want to tell us what have you so spooked?" Shizuka asked.

"Momochi Zabuza is a former member of Kiri no Shinobigatana Shichinin Shū. He was a member of the pervious group who was said to be the strongest group Kiri every produced. He led a coup against the Yondaime Mizukage but failed and had to flee. He is credited to hundreds of kills; his most brutal killing was the extermination of his own genin graduation class, all one hundred of them." Sasuke informed them. This surprised everyone including Zabuza.

"My, my, that's greatly accurate. If you know so much about me, then you must know my specialty." Zabuza said. Sasuke didn't answer him and readied himself. Kakashi decided to end all talks.

"Your opponent is me Zabuza. Shizuka, Sasuke and Sakura, protect Tazuna. Sasuke, you're in charge." Kakashi said.

"What?" Shizuka exclaimed.

"Enough! You will do what I say and protect the bridge builder! Disobey me and I will have you brought up for insubordination!" Kakashi shouted. Shizuka had never seen Kakashi so angry. She growled but she obeyed. Zabuza just chuckled at the group before taking a stance.

"Kirigakure no Jutsu." Zabuza muttered. The mist got thicker and Zabuza was gone. Sakura was panicking a little which worried Sasuke. He placed a hand on her in an attempt to calm her down.

"Sakura, I need you to calm down. You too Tazuna, if we are going to survive this." Sasuke said.

"What do you know Uchiha?" Shizuka whispered.

"Zabuza is a master of Sairento Kiringu. It is a method that allows a shinobi to kill without a sound. It is a specialty of the shinobi of Kirigakure. You need to calm your heart-rate and keep quiet or he'll find us." Sasuke whispered.

"Very good boy, you are very well informed. That is not surprising since you are an Uchiha as the girl said. That must make you the survivor of the massacre." Zabuza's voice projected all-over. Sasuke cursed Shizuka's big mouth and worked on finding Zabuza's location. When he did find him, he gasped.

"Everyone scatter!" he shouted and grabbed Tazuna. He turned him around so he would take the blow for him but the blade Zabuza wielded would cut through him and Tazuna. Lucky for him, Kakashi appeared and drove his kunai into Zabuza's stomach. Sasuke ordered everyone to move farther away while Kakashi fought Zabuza.

Kakashi suddenly noticed that something was wrong when instead of blood; water flowed out of the wound. He cursed as Zabuza was on him. He swung his sword and cleaved through Kakashi and the Mizu Bunshin. It was Zabuza's turn to be surprised as Kakashi turned into water as well. Kakashi appeared behind Zabuza, a kunai to his throat. Zabuza turned slightly to see that Kakashi had his Sharingan uncovered. He couldn't believe that Kakashi had copied his technique while in the mist. He chuckled at Kakashi before dissolving into water. Kakashi was surprised by the fact that Zabuza created another clone. He quickly dodged Zabuza's downward slice but had to raise his arms to block the incoming kick. The power behind the kick sent him flying toward the water where he landed with a splash.

Kakashi broke the surface and searched the area for Zabuza. He suddenly got the feeling that something was wrong. The water around him felt heavy for some reason. That's when it hit him but it was too late.

"It was stupid to stay in the water. Suirō no Jutsu!" Zabuza called out. Kakashi found himself trapped in an orb of water that was being held by Zabuza. He cursed at his carelessness. He looked at his team.

"You all need to backtrack and get out of here!" he shouted.

"What about you sensei?" Sakura shouted.

"I'll be fine. We need to keep Tazuna alive so that his dream can be realized. Getting him to safety is our top priority." Kakashi explained.

"Nice try but don't think it would be that easy." Zabuza said and created a Mizu Bunshin. Sasuke looked at the situation and knew that there was no way they could escape. Zabuza would just kill Kakashi and be on them quickly. While he understood that Kakashi wanted them to backtrack and meet up with their back-up, he didn't know how far they were out. Sasuke decided that their best bet was to free Kakashi. How they were going to do it was a mystery.

His thoughts were interrupted when Shizuka decided to attack Zabuza's clone. They all watched as she blew wind onto two shuriken and hurled them at Zabuza. Zabuza was impressed but not enough to be scared. He dodged the two attacks and blocked her tanto. He then slammed his fist into her gut, making her cough up. He brought his elbow down on her back, sending her into the ground with amazing force. Zabuza raised his foot to end it when Sasuke acted.

Sasuke appeared and picked Shizuka up. He had his Sharingan active and saw what Zabuza was about to do after the stomp. He used his Sharingan to stall Zabuza while he got away. The clone eventually broke the jutsu but it was enough for Sasuke to save Shizuka. He then pulled out an Fūma Shuriken and tossed it to Shizuka.

"Use your technique on that and aim!" Sasuke said and pointed. She saw where he was pointing and nodded. She blew some wind on the large shuriken and tossed it at the Zabuza holding Kakashi hostage. Zabuza knew that catching a wind-infused shuriken would be stupid so he decided to avoid it. When he jumped over the shuriken, Sasuke activated something with a hand seal. It was an explosive note that had just detonated. The wind that was infused on the shuriken increased the blaze and explosive range. The explosion threw Zabuza forward and burnt his back. This also freed Kakashi who felt into the water.

The clone was enraged and blasted Sasuke with a kick. The young Uchiha hit the ground hard. As he struggled to get up, he was pinned under the clone's foot. The clone reared his arm back to take his head but he was suddenly skewered by several spear-tipped chains. Sasuke got drenched when it was dispelled. Sasuke looked up to see who had saved him and was surprised at who it was. Shizuka and Sakura were just as surprised. Kakashi, who had just recovered, smiled to see who had arrived. The woman looked at Kakashi.

"You've fallen really low if you requested my help Kakashi." She said.

"Well, the mission called for help and I could only think of one shinobi who would be able to keep everyone safe. Why wouldn't I call you Kushina-sensei?" Kakashi asked. Kushina just sighed at her one time student.

_**X-X-X-X-X**_

_**Glossary**_

_**Onsoku Fūsoku no**_** Ken** - Sonic Wind Sword

_**Kirigakure no Jutsu**_- Hidden Mist Technique

_**Sairento Kiringu**_- Silent Killing

_**Suirō no Jutsu** _- Water Prison Technique


	12. Chapter 11

_**Chapter 11**_

Zabuza couldn't believe that his luck was so bad. He knew about the woman standing on the shore. Everyone in Kiri, Iwa, Suna and Kumo had heard of her. She had earned her nickname during the Third Ninja War and it was well earned. She was almost as scary as the Konoha no Kiiroi Senkō.

"Well, I wasn't expecting the Konoha no Shinku Kami Maō as back-up." Zabuza said. Kushina sighed and gave Zabuza a look.

"Are people still calling me that? Kami, you castrate one shinobi and they stick you a nickname that's ridiculous. Why couldn't I get a cool nickname like my Minato-kun or Naruto-kun?" Kushina whined. After a few seconds, she gave Zabuza a glare. "Either way, you should be concentrating on other things besides me." Zabuza raised his sword just in time to block Kakashi kunai. He pushed him away and tried to cut him in two. Kakashi flipped away from the blade and landed on the water. Zabuza sheath his sword and began to do hand seals. Kakashi did the same as him. Both ended their seals with the 'tori' seal.

"Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu!" they both called out. Two dragons made of water appeared out of the lake and crashed against each other. The techniques canceled each other out while Kakashi and Zabuza were caught in a stalemate.

"You're nothing more…" Zabuza began.

"…but a copying monkey." Kakashi said calmly. Zabuza widen his eyes before pushing Kakashi away. The two circled each other before going through another set of hand seals. Zabuza couldn't really think about what was going on because of Kakashi's copying of his movements and words. It was as if he,

"Reading my mind." Kakashi said. Zabuza was sweating now and looked at Kakashi to see an image of himself next to him. This gave Kakashi time to launch his attack. "Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!" Zabuza was swept up by the wave of rushing water and sent a few feet inland. He crashed into a tree and began to slide down in pain. Four kunai followed him and he was struck in his shoulders and legs. Zabuza grunted in pain before Kakashi appeared above him with a kunai in hand.

"Can… you… see… the… future?" Zabuza asked weakly.

"Yes. Your future is death." Kakashi answered him. Zabuza tried to stand but was suddenly struck down by another person. Kakashi and the other who just arrived were shocked by this. A young teen appeared and was wearing a mask. Sasuke recognized the mask as something that ANBU and Oinin would wear.

"You were right. His future was death." The feminine voice said. Shizuka was angry at the fact that this person just came and took their kill.

"Hey, who do you think you are?! That guy was ours!" she shouted.

"Enough Shizuka, she is just doing her job." Sasuke said. He faced the person with the mask. "You are an Oinin from Kiri?"

"Yes, I am. I thank you for your help in taking out Zabuza. I hope you don't mind that I allowed you to do all the work."

"Don't worry; we won't keep you from your duty." Kakashi said. The teenager nodded and went over to pick Zabuza's body up. Sasuke narrowed his eyes and was about to say something when Kushina's hand landed on his shoulder. She shook her head and Sasuke allowed the person to continue. Once secured, the Oinin vanished using a special type of Shunshin. Sasuke looked at Kushina.

"I know Sasuke but we will discuss it when we get to Tazuna's place. Tazuna, how much further do we have to go?" she asked.

"It isn't far." Tazuna said.

"Good. We'll walk in diamond formation while I carry Kakashi." Kushina said.

"What are you talking about Kushina…?" Kakashi suddenly pitched forward and began to fall. Kushina caught him and put him on her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Kushina just sighed at him.

"He's really been slipping up. He knows that he can't use the Sharingan for long periods of time. I need to talk to him when he wakes up. Okay guys, let's get going." Kushina said. The group continued on toward Tazuna's house.

_**XXX**_

Team Kakashi sat in the living room like they were told and waited for Kushina to return. They didn't have to wait long as Kushina came down from the stairs. She sighs and faces Kakashi's team.

"By the looks of things, Kakashi will be up later tonight but he won't be in fighting shape for about a week. I know that you have been studying medicine Sakura, so I'll leave his healing to you." Kushina said.

"Understood sensei." Sakura said.

"Sensei, why did you stop me from calling out that fake Oinin?" Sasuke asked. The two girls looked at him with confusion.

"I stopped you because Kakashi was on his last legs. That meant that we would have to protect him as well as Tazuna. Also, we didn't know who this person was or how strong he or she was. To hit the neck with senbon at a distance is no easy task. Not even your sensei can hit an area that small. I was being cautious." Kushina explained. Sasuke nodded at her and accepted her reasoning.

"What are you two talking about fake Oinin?" Shizuka asked.

"Oinin, like sensei, have certain protocols they have to abide by. One of them is that when they kill a missing-nin, they take the head and burn the body. They do that on the spot, no matter who is in the area. For this person to take the body with them, means that they are in league with Zabuza." Sasuke explained.

"He's right. Whoever this person is, they are not your run of the mill Oinin. Anyway, we will discuss more in the morning. I'm going to secure the area. Sakura tend to Kakashi while you two secure the house." Kushina ordered. They nodded and began to get to work.

_**XXX**_

It took Naruto a while to locate Tsunade. He had to use one of Jiraiya's contacts in order to find her. As Koga had explained, his son, Benjirou, was smitten by her and was attempting to woo her. He really didn't care what his tastes were but he was tasked with a job and he was going to do that job. Along with him was a group of samurai that he picked up as he made his way to the town. They had a traveling carriage along with them.

"Okay, I'm going in to find Benjirou and his friends. I need you guys to surround the town in case he gets away." Naruto said.

"Do you doubt your skills sir? Kyōken-dono has spoken highly of them." One soldier said.

"It isn't him I'm concerned with. It's his company." Naruto said and walked into town. He searched the local bars and casinos for the two as those were the only places that Tsunade ever visited. He entered one casino and searched the place. As he made his way over to the craps tables, he saw his target and he was with Tsunade. He looked on with a little disgust as the fool gave the old drunk money to feed her gambling habit. He watched as Shizune was holding Tonton and sighing.

He made his way over to the table but was suddenly blocked by Benjirou's friends. He didn't remember their names but he knew their faces. He gave each of them a look before attempting to continue. When they tried to stop him again, both men found themselves on the ground holding their wrists. Their screams caught everyone's attention, including Tsunade and Shizune. Benjirou saw Naruto and went white as a sheet.

"Y-You! What are you doing here?" he asked nervously.

"I'm here at the request of your father. He's very disappointed in you and has a very special punishment in store for you and your friends." Naruto said.

"You wouldn't dare hurt me. I am the son of a lord. Even though my father favors you, you will not touch me." Benjirou spat.

"Yeah, why don't you leave him alone brat? He and I are just getting to know one another." Tsunade slurred and draped herself over him. Benjirou blushed as he felt her chest against his back. Shizune just sighed in embarrassment.

"I don't care what your whore says Benjirou. You're coming with me and you're going to the river fort that your father has set up for your stay. You know the one that is run by Kyōken-dono." Naruto said. Benjirou and his friends were wide eyed at that declaration.

"You lie! My father would never send me to that person!" Benjirou shouted.

"You think that you could steal your inheritance and your father would welcome you back with open arms? Maybe some time with Kyōken-dono will turn you into a real man. So what's it going to be?" Naruto asked. Benjirou threw Tsunade of him and attempted to make a break for it. He was quickly slammed to the ground by Naruto. Naruto pulled him to his feet just in time to see Benjirou's friends draw their daggers. Naruto pushed Benjirou into one of his friends while he grabbed the wrist of his attacker. He placed a painful wrist lock on him, forcing him to drop the dagger. The other one attempted to stab him but he too was placed in a painful wrist lock. Benjirou stood and attempted to flee but he was once again tackled and restrained by a copy of Naruto. The clone placed both arms behind him and dragged him out of the casino. The original followed, dragging his two friends behind.

Tsunade watched to whole thing without too much of a care. She was a little angry at the whore comment but let it slide. It wasn't as if that brat would apologize to her away. She just continued to play cards with the money that Benjirou left. It wouldn't be long before she lost it all.

_**XXX**_

Naruto watched as Benjirou and his friends were carried away by Kyōken's men. He wished the three well who only cursed him in return. He decided to compose a letter to Koga, letting him know that the job was done. He would have to wait until the morning however to send it. He decided that he was hungry and made his way to the local ramen stand. He was searching for a long while until he bumped into someone.

"Sorry about… oh, it's you." Naruto said as he was face to face with Tsunade again. He could see that she was drunk off her ass. Tsunade just looked at him with a grin.

"Well, well, if it isn't the daimyo's personal ninja. Do you have a message from Benjirou from me?" she asked with a drunken smile. Naruto scoffed and pushed pass her to continue on his way. She stopped him by getting in her face. "Hey, didn't your mother teach you any manners. You don't just push a lady."

"Show me a lady and I'll apologize. Now, move out of my way. I've got better things to do." Naruto said.

"Still a cheeky little brat huh? What, you still pissed that I bad mouthed your father and that I didn't help your mother? Why don't you grow up boy? That was years ago." Tsunade said.

"Look whose tell who to grow up? Now, that's funny coming from you." Naruto said. "Why don't you go back to your drinking and be like your other teammate Orochimaru. You two have so much in common anyway." The comment seem to sober up Tsunade a bit and she glared at Naruto.

"What did you say?" Tsunade growled.

"I said that you and Orochimaru are so alike that it isn't even funny." Naruto said.

"Oh really! Why don't you tell me why before a remove your head from your body." She snarled.

"You both lost something dear to you but instead of moving forward, you hold on to your own selfish desires. Orochimaru didn't want to die and you don't what to live. You think that you two were the only ones that lost someone or something? Do you see me wallowing in grief over my father's death? I live to remember what he did for me and for the village. I live by his example and protect everything he cared about. What about you, the princess of the Senju? You go from town to town, gambling your families' legacy away, drinking until you can't feel anymore and running when the creditors come after you. Do you even know who you are anymore?" Naruto asked. Tsunade was boiling. Naruto's words hit deep and she wasn't going take that from some brat.

"You think that you're so much better than me?! What the hell do you know?!" she roared.

"I know that your family are looking down at you and are ashamed at what they see. I know that you are not the same person that they loved. At least I can face my ancestors and know that they will be proud of me. Can you say the same?" Naruto said. He pushed pass her again and made his way to find some ramen. Tsunade was steaming and clenched her knuckles until they were white. Naruto's last words cut deeper than any kunai. She wanted to say something but she could not because a small part of her knew that he was right.

Angry and frustrated, Tsunade went back into the bar. She passed by Shizune who had just finished paying the people and ordered another round of drinks. Shizune was crying anime tears and wondered what happened to her master.

_**XXXXX**_

_**Konoha no Kiiroi Senkō**_ – Konoha's Yellow Flash

_**Konoha no Shinku Kami Maō**_ – Konoha's Crimson Haired Devil

_**Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu**_ – Water Release: Water Dragon Missile Technique

_**Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu**_ – Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique


	13. Chapter 12

**_Chapter 12_**

The next morning, Kushina was standing in front of Kakashi's team. Its leader was currently resting and would be resting if he knew what was good for him. Kushina looked at each member with a serious glance.

"Okay guys, if Zabuza's partner is a good medic like we assume, we probably have a week to prepare. With that as our time table, it would be a waste to teach you guys the Suimen Hokō no Gyō. Your chakra is good enough as it is for his partner, which you three will be dealing with." Kushina said.

"Why are we dealing with the partner? We could help against Zabuza." Shizuka argued.

"Your victory against him was luck. He will be much more prepared for you guys and so will his partner since he or she watched the fight. That's why I'm going to help you guys create a collaboration jutsu." Kushina explained.

"A collaboration jutsu? Do you think that it will be enough?" Sakura asked.

"Do not doubt yourself Sakura. I have confidence that you three will be able to pull it off. Now, if we're going to create this jutsu, I need to know your skill set. Sakura, you go first." Kushina said.

"Oh, okay. I know all three of the academy jutsu. I also know the Genjutsu Shibari and I'm currently learning the Shōsen Jutsu." Sakura said.

"That's impressive. You usually don't learn the Shōsen Jutsu unless you're really good with your chakra." Sakura blushed at the praise. "Okay Shizuka, you're next."

"I know all academy jutsu. I know several Fūton techniques, like the Fūton: Shinkūjin and the Fūton: Shinkūha. I'm still learning to control the Fūton: Shinkū Taigyoku but I'll get soon." Shizuka said with a little smugness. Kushina did not really like that Shizuka knew such techniques. They were meant for one thing only and that was killing.

"Nice to know but I don't need your arrogance in the picture. Okay Sasuke, show us what you got." Kushina said.

"I know all the academy jutsu. I know at least two jutsu of each element and I am trained in a few minor genjutsu techniques. I'm currently learning a technique but it won't be battle ready in time." Sasuke said. Everyone was surprised that Sasuke said that he knew ten jutsu.

"Just so I'm clear on this Sasuke, exactly how do you know ten jutsu?" Kushina asked.

"I learned them from my families' library. I only know low level techniques as I was restricted from learning anything higher." Sasuke said.

"Care to give me an example?" Kushina asked.

"I know the Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu, Suiton: Mizuame Nabara, Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu, Fūton: Reppūshō and Raiton: Sutangan." Sasuke said. Kushina was a little impressed with Sasuke's arsenal and from his explanation; he learned them on his own. She was glad that they were very strong techniques, two of the techniques being supplementary.

"It's good that you have branched out. No offense to your clan Sasuke, but the Uchiha didn't branch out as much, relying mostly on Katon jutsu." Kushina said.

"Yeah, it was pretty humbling to be beaten with such low level techniques." Sasuke said with a blush. Kushina giggled and Sakura looked at him with hearts in her eyes. The only one who wasn't happy was Shizuka. She couldn't believe that Sasuke knew so much. She only knew about the Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu but not the others. She calmed herself down as the fact that those techniques weren't so tough in her mind.

"Okay Sasuke, you'll tell me about the other techniques you know and I will see if they will help us with this jutsu. While I work on it, you three will be going through drills." Kushina said. They all groaned which made her smile.

**_XXX_**

Kakashi looked at the list that Kushina came in with. He was very surprised at the amount of jutsu Sasuke had under his belt. When he questioned if Naruto taught him so much, Kushina shook her head in the negative. Kakashi was happy for Sasuke but also sad that he wasn't teaching him or the others.

"Don't sweat it Kakashi, I'm sure that Sasuke and Sakura will come to ask you for help or a jutsu." Kushina said with amusement.

"What about Shizuka?" Kakashi asked.

"I can't work miracles." Kushina joked. She looked at the techniques and was in deep thought. "Sakura's Genjutsu Shibari can be the start to the technique. If we combine the Fūton: Shinkūha and the Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu, it would be a very devastating technique."

"You don't seem too confident in that collaboration." Kakashi said.

"The Fūton: Shinkūha is meant to kill. Adding fire to it would make it almost unstoppable. Damn that Danzō for teaching her such techniques. She can barely control herself when she uses them." Kushina cursed.

"Still, it's the best combo we have. We don't really know what Zabuza's partner can do. It would be our ace in the hole if he turns out to be stronger than we believe." Kakashi said.

"I guess you're right. So, Sakura freezes them while Sasuke and Shizuka blast them. Oh yeah, she's going to love this." Kushina said.

**_XXX_**

Kushina just sighed in frustration as what was going on. She was beginning to agree with her eldest son about this team. She explained what they were going to do and she got one very angry Shizuka. The orange haired girl didn't want her perfect technique to be mixed in with Sasuke's Katon jutsu. Kushina told her to just suck it up and to follow orders. She explained what she wanted and used the Kage Bunshin to do so.

Sakura did her part but was only able to hold her for a few seconds. Since Shizuka's jutsu took only four hand seals and Sasuke's five, Sasuke had to match her output of chakra in the technique. Sasuke tried but Shizuka over powered the technique, slicing up the ground and blowing away the flames. Kushina told her to reduce the power but Shizuka would ignore her and not let Sasuke sync with her. The last time, Sasuke had to stop to protect Sakura when Shizuka went overboard. Luckily, the gashes weren't too deep. Sakura berated Shizuka and told her to work with them not against them. Shizuka exploded on her and ranted about how weak they were.

Kushina finally had enough and used her chakra chain to ensnare and restrain them all. She gave them all a stern look.

"Alright, since you three want to act like babies and not ninja, I will treat like babies." She moved them together and binded them to a tree. She walked to a stump and sat on it. She gave them a serious look. "I use to do this to Shizuka and Naruto when they wouldn't get along. In a few seconds, I'm going to put up a barrier and you three are going to get everything out and start working together. If you don't, then this is going to happen again and it will keep happening until you three get over what's bothering you." With that said Kushina put up a barrier and waited.

Sakura growled and looked at Shizuka out of the corner of her eye.

"Thanks a lot Shizuka. We're in this situation because of you." Sakura said.

"So it's my fault that your Sasuke can't match my chakra output? Maybe he isn't as strong as he portrays himself to be!" Shizuka spat.

"Out of all of us, you have the most chakra. Your chakra is on par with the Sandaime. Only your brother has as much chakra as you. Besides, you said that you would work with us a month ago. Was that a lie?" Sasuke said.

"Shut up! I don't need a lecture from you golden boy! You're just as annoying as my brother!" Shizuka exclaimed.

"Oh Kami, are you still on that? So your brother is training Sasuke-kun to become stronger? Are you really that jealous and petty?" Sakura asked.

"WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE HIM?! WHAT MAKES HIM SO SPECIAL?!" Shizuka roared. She took a few deep breathes and glared at Sasuke. "He comes into our home and begs my brother for training so that he can avenge his clan and my brother just gives in! Just because he had a great relationship with the Uchiha doesn't mean that he should ignore me! I could use those techniques to better protect Konoha than you can! Yet, my brother looks at me like I'm a spoiled child and not worthy! It isn't fair that you take up my brother's time! He's not your family!" Sakura couldn't say anything to Shizuka as she kind of agreed with her. Sasuke looked at her for a while before speaking.

"You think that it's my fault that your brother ignores you? If you want someone to blame, then look in the mirror. Sensei use to talk about you when we trained and even took days to teach you something but you refused him because the technique wasn't powerful enough. Then when you insulted your own Uzumaki heritage, he couldn't take it. He didn't abandon you, you abandoned him." Sasuke said. Shizuka looked at him in shock and glared harder at him for his words.

"Look, you can hate me all you want but right now we need to put our difference aside. If we don't, Zabuza and his partner will kill you, me, Sakura, Kakashi and your mother. Do you really want that to happen? We need your help Shizuka. You don't have to like us but you have to work with us." Sasuke said.

"Yeah, 'those who break the rules are trash but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash', that was what Kakashi taught us when we became a team. We are comrades even though we don't like each other. Don't abandon us just because of your jealousy and pride." Sakura added. Shizuka growled and clenched her fists but she did not argue that they were in a dire situation. She looked at the both of them with hard looks.

"Fine, I will work with the both of you but this changes nothing between us. We are comrades until I can get the hell off this team. As long as we are a team, then you can count on me." Shizuka spat. Sasuke nodded. This was the best that he was going to get. Kushina looked inside the barrier and could see that they were actually talking to each other. She was happy about that but she wondered how long that would last. By the look on Shizuka's face, she was still jealous of Sasuke and did not respect Sakura. It would seem that she would work with the two but they would never be friends.

Kushina sighed and worried about her only daughter. She prayed that she would grow out of this soon.

**_XXX_**

Naruto walked through the gates two days later. He was tired and wanted to take a shower and a nap. The mission didn't really take a lot out of him but the meeting with Tsunade wasn't something he enjoyed. He forgot all about waiting until morning to get things done. He found an all-night messenger service and sent his letter. He them left the town after hearing about a bar fight cause by a drunk woman with a pig. Knowing his luck, Tsunade would come looking for him because of what he said to her. He just decided to sleep about five miles east of the town.

Naruto signed in and made his way home. That's when he heard someone call out to him. He turned and saw his old teammate, Zaji. Zaji was a trap master and bit cocky. The two got along really good as Zaji didn't kiss his ass because of his father. The two stayed in touch after Rin-sensei died. He was also one of the few who got on him for being mean to Hana. Naruto turned to greet him.

"Hey Zaji, what up?" Naruto greeted.

"Nothing much man how's the great hunter, Konoha no Hakkō Ken, doing?" Zaji asked.

"Fine but a little tired. I was heading home to take a shower and get some rest." Naruto said.

"Oh, that good then because I'm taking you out tonight and we're going to have dinner with Hana and some others." Zaji said.

"Okay, around what time?" Naruto asked.

"Now look man, Hana is our teammate and you… Wait a minute, did you just agree with me?" Zaji asked.

"I asked you what time do you want to meet." Naruto said.

"Does that mean you and Hana are cool again?" Zaji asked.

"Somewhat, we're not at each other's throats anymore and we are starting out as acquaintances rather than friends." Zaji looked at him with a smile.

"That is awesome! Man, I thought you two would never make up." Zaji said. He then got a look on his face. "Say, you're still pretty attracted to her right?"

"What? I don't have that attraction to her anymore." Naruto said.

"Really? I have to tell you man, she's pretty hot for an eighteen year old. She developed in all the right places. Come on, you had to have noticed." Zaji asked.

"You see, this is why no woman would date you. You need to stop being so pervy." Naruto said.

"And you need to stop avoiding the question. Now come on, do you still find her attractive?" Zaji asked.

"See ya late tonight Zaji." Naruto said and walked off.

"That isn't a no." Zaji shouted. He watched as he walked away and smiled. He was glad that his two teammates were back on speaking terms. That meant that it was time to go back to his usual type of teasing and pranking. He rubbed his hands in glee and left to make plans.

**XXXXX**

**_Suimen Hokō no Gyō_** – Water Surface Walking Exercise

**_Genjutsu Shibari_** - Illusion Technique Binding

**_Shōsen Jutsu_** - Mystical Palm Technique

**_Fūton: Shinkūjin_** - Wind Release: Vacuum Blade

**_Fūton: Shinkūha_** - Wind Release: Vacuum Wave

**_Fūton: Shinkū Taigyoku_** - Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere

**_Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu_** – Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique

**_Suiton: Mizuame Nabara_** - Water Release: Starch Syrup Capturing Field

**_Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu_** - Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique

**_Fūton: Reppūshō_** - Wind Release: Gale Palm

**_Raiton: Sutangan_** – Lightning Release: Stun Gun – The user gathers lightning in the palm in his hand. He then thrust his hand toward his opponent and makes contact. The opponent will get a huge jolt that will paralyze and knock them out.


	14. Chapter 13

**_Chapter 13_**

Sasuke walked out of the house after having enough of Inari's whining. The little brat had been dissing him and his teammates since they met. He kept telling them that they were going to die and they were never going to win. Shizuka was the only one who was arguing with him. When he made a comment about not knowing true pain, Sasuke just stood up. Before he left, he turned to Inari and told him that he witnessed the death of his whole clan that his brother killed. He told him that he knew nothing about pain and that his father looks down at him with shame.

He arrived in a spot that he had been scoping out for some time. It was secluded and it was wide enough to do jutsu. He stood in the middle of the area and went back to what Naruto told him about his personal jutsu.

**_***Flashback***_**

_Sasuke stood in the training field and watched as Naruto stood in front of a huge boulder. Sasuke was in awe at the size of the rock and wondered what was going on._

_"Okay, do you know why I'm called the Konoha no Hakkō Ken?" Naruto asked._

_"From what I know and from what Kiba has told me, you're called that because of your personal jutsu that is called the Tome Rarenai Ken." Sasuke said._

_"That's partially right. I created a technique that would better serve me when I became an Oinin. My jutsu allowed me to kill quickly and easily. It took me a year to fully master this technique." Naruto said and faced the boulder. He got into a horse stance and put his hands together. He looked at the boulder before swinging his arm in an arc. He stood after a while and waited. Sasuke watched as the boulder slid off and hit the ground. He realized that it was the same move that Naruto used against his fireball. Seeing his recognition, Naruto faced him._

_"Yeah, this is the same technique I used against you that time. It's called Ninpō: Onsoku Fūsoku no Ken or as everyone thinks about it, the Tome Rarenai Ken." Naruto said._

_"Wow. Are you sure that I'm ready to learn such a jutsu?" Sasuke asked. That's went Naruto laughed at him._

_"No chance in hell kid. I'm only introducing the technique to you. While I think that you have gotten strong Sasuke, you're definitely aren't ready for this technique." Naruto said with mirth._

_"So why did you show it to me?" Sasuke said with a pout._

_"It was to give an idea of what you can expect when I do find you worthy of learning it." Naruto said before handed him a book. Sasuke read it and was confused by what he saw. _

_"This is a book of sword stances from the Tetsu no Kuni." _

_"Yeah, where do you think I got the idea from? Samurai sword stances work the best for this technique. There's only one other person that I've shown this jutsu to, giving him two original techniques. Hopefully, if they listen, you don't get him. It isn't that I think he's a terrible jōnin but what he can teach you, you already know." Sasuke nodded and Naruto went into a much deeper explanation of his jutsu._

**_***Present***_**

Sasuke grabbed a huge piece of wood that he shaped when he had finished training with Kushina. It was a heavy piece of wood. The stance that Sasuke chose was a standard kendo stance where he could bring a sword in a downward arc. He read up on it and he read that he should do a hundred strikes every day to increase his speed and strength. He did what the boy said every day since his sensei told him about the move. He did a hundred strikes despite being tired. He was still surprised at how hard this was.

It took him a while to do a hundred strikes and when it was over; Sasuke took a seat against a tree and rested. He took a few calming breath and slowly closed his eyes. A few minutes later, Sasuke was fully asleep.

**_XXX_**

Sasuke grumbled as he felt someone shaking him. He would slap the hand away but it would quickly continue what it was doing. Finally have enough; Sasuke slowly opened his eyes, expecting Sakura to be in his face. He was very surprised to see a very cute face in front of him. While many would question Sasuke's preference, Sasuke could appreciate beauty when he saw it.

"You shouldn't sleep here. You'll catch a cold." The person said.

"What the… where am I?" Sasuke asked to himself. He woke himself up and tried to remember where he was. He remembered after a short thought and yawned as he was fully waking up. He looked at the person in front of him and looked at them carefully. The person looked uncomfortable at his gaze. Sasuke stop staring at them. "Sorry about that but I wasn't sure if you were a girl or a guy."

"That's kind of rude." The guy said.

"Sorry but I'm not that much of a morning person. My name is Sasuke." He introduced.

"My name is Haku. So, what am I, guy or girl?" Haku asked.

"Definitely a guy. Your Adams' apple is showing." Sasuke said. Haku just smiled which made Sasuke a little uncomfortable.

"Well, you would be right. I'm sorry to have woken you but I didn't wish for you to get a cold." Haku said.

"Thanks for that. So why are you out here?" Sasuke asked.

"I'm collecting herbs to mix medicine. This is a good spot for them." Haku said.

"Oh, did I step on some of them?" Sasuke asked.

"No, there are enough of them." Haku said and went to picking the herbs. Sasuke got a good look at the herbs that he was picking and frowned. Sasuke had been on herbal hunts before with Hinata. She was very knowledgeable about them and would tell him about it. The herbs that Haku was picking were an herb that helped speed up healing of bruises. He could be wrong about what he was thinking but he decided to take a chance.

"So, is this for someone?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes. He got hurt a while back and these herbs will help him get better faster." Haku said.

"That's nice. Maybe I should take a few herbs as well. My uncle got hurt a couple of days ago as well." Sasuke said.

"Is that so?" Haku asked.

"Yeah. He's careless like that. He used too much energy walking from Hi no Kuni to Nami no Kuni. My aunt is always annoyed with him and his antics." Sasuke explained.

"Relatives can be troublesome at times." Haku said. Sasuke and Haku fell into a comfortable silence as Haku picked those herbs. When he was finished, he stood and turned to face Sasuke. The two looked at each other for what seem like an eternity. "You are quite skilled aren't you?"

"Excuse me?" Sasuke asked, getting ready for an attack. Haku then pointed to the large piece of wood.

"You're quite skilled to be able to use that for your training. Are you a samurai?" Haku asked.

"No, I'm a ninja." Sasuke answered.

"Oh, well you are a very skilled ninja then. Are you training to protect your precious people?" Haku asked.

"Why do you ask?" Sasuke asked back.

"I believe that when we have someone to protect, then we become truly strong. We can do things that would be considered impossible." Haku explained.

"I can't really say. Everyone precious to me is dead, murdered." Sasuke said.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Haku said. They fell into another brief silence before Haku spoke. "Well, I thank you for the company and I pray that you find others who you would consider precious." He turned and walked out of the area. Sasuke waited for a while before leaving himself. He would need to report to Kakashi and Kushina about what just happened.

**_XXX_**

Naruto was training near his home. His style was a mixture of styles that were all blended in a free-boxing form. It was a style that he designed for himself, making him ready for any opponent. It was a style that had not failed him yet. However, he really couldn't concentrate because of what happened last night when he met up with Zaji. He knew that Hana was going to be there as well but what he didn't know was how she was going to be dressed. The dress that she wore stopped at her thighs and hugged her like second skin. All of her curves were in the right places. The dress left her shoulders and top of chest bare. It was a sexy dress, a little too much for a get together.

He then remembered when he, Zaji and Hana were a team, the brown haired shinobi always enjoyed teasing the both of them, mostly about how they were attracted to each other. He figured that he told Hana something different from the rest because she was the only one who was dressed to kill. It was proven when she was hit on by people who Zaji didn't even invite. Lucky for her, Naruto offered up his orange jacket to her, which she thanked him for. She stayed close to him for most of the night.

Naruto wouldn't lie but he did sneak peeks at her legs and shoulders when she wasn't looking. He admitted to himself that she had grown up to be a very beautiful young woman and sexy to boot. When he got home, it was all he could really dream about. One dream was something that he clearly remembered because it was one where she was taking that dress off. That came to his head at the worst time as he miss-stepped and felt on his ass.

This was something that he was going to keep under wraps. If his mother found out, she would be talking about grandchildren. If Jiraiya found out, well, he didn't want to know what he would do. He sighed and got up. He had to go and take another cold shower. He swore that he was going to make Zaji pay for this. At the same time, a nervous Zaji was currently pinned by three snarling dogs that were ready to rip him apart should he move. He looked at the very angry Hana who very well held his life in her hands.

"C-Come on Hana, don't you think that this is a little extreme? It was a little white lie." Zaji begged. Hana didn't look amused and began to crack her knuckles. Zaji whimpered as her fist descended on him.

**_XXX_**

Sasuke had just finished telling everyone about his encounter and the two jōnin were a little concerned. Shizuka was the first to speak.

"I can't believe that you just let him go. Why didn't you try and take him out?" Shizuka asked.

"I didn't have any weapons on me and I didn't know if he had any weapons on his person. Also, we don't know what his full capabilities are. For all I know, he could be a skilled counter fighter who would have slit my throat the second I made a move. We already know that he can hit a nerve point for some distance with senbon. I wasn't going to risk it." Sasuke said.

"He's right. It was a good thing that you didn't make a move Sasuke. Did you get anything for him?" Kakashi asked.

"Nothing more than he knows medicine. My guess is that Zabuza is probably at Kakashi's level of recovery." Sasuke said.

"That means he will be ready by the time you are Kakashi. Lucky for us, we were able to get that collaboration jutsu down. We will be counting on that for a trump card." Kushina said. "Okay you three, get ready for an intense two days because I'm going to run you ragged in order to get prepared for this fight." The three genin nodded and prepared themselves for an intense two days.

**_XXX_**

Naruto went in search of Zaji for an explanation. When he turned to corner, he ran into the girl that he was dreaming about. He quickly banished those thoughts as he didn't want to take another cold shower. He then saw that her fists were kind of bruised and had a little blood on them. He was curious about that and looked at her.

"Someone piss you off or something?" Naruto asked her. Hana was confused until he pointed to her fists.

"Oh that. I was just… teaching someone a lesson." Hana said a little quickly.

"I know that little siblings can be annoying but you can't bash little Kiba in the head just because he calls you names." Naruto mocked.

"Oh shut up, I don't abuse my brother even if he does deserve it at times. Besides, it isn't his blood." Hana argued with a pout.

"Well, I see you later. I've got to find Zaji." Naruto said.

"Oh, I just saw him enter the hospital. I don't know what happened between last night and now. It looked like he got jumped by a couple of people." Hana said.

"How is that possible? Zaji is a senor-type ninja." Naruto said with confusion. Hana just shrugged before moving on with her dogs. He noticed the piece of clothing attached to one of the dogs' fangs. It looked like a deep navy blue color. He put two and two together and smirked. Despite have soft features, Hana was still an Inuzuka and Inuzukas didn't like to be tricked. Naruto made his way to the hospital to talk to his friend and see if he was okay.

**_XXXXX_**

**_Authors' Notes_** – Here's a new chapter for you guys. I hope you enjoy it.


	15. Chapter 14

**_Chapter 14_**

Sasuke was packing his weapons in his pouch. He had prepared them and made sure that they were ready to be used. He had been taught to make sure that his equipment was in top notch condition. Now stocked and ready, Sasuke made his way down to the living room. He passed by Inari, not sparing him a look. He arrived to see that everyone was waiting for him. Kushina just smiled at the group.

"Okay, we know what the plan is right? I'll stay behind and make sure that Gatō doesn't try anything. I'll join you once I think that they're safe. Until then, look out for each other and watch each other's backs." Kushina said but was looking mostly at Shizuka. She scoffed but nodded all the same. Kakashi bid them farewell and the team was leading Tazuna to the bridge.

They reached the bridge at the usual time but Kakashi noticed that something was wrong. He gave a subtle motion to his team and they moved in carefully to the bridge when they reached, they were instantly alert as they noticed bodies on the ground. Tazuna ran and held one. The man told him to run because of the monster that attacked them. That's when the laughter came out.

"So we were right to assume that you were alive, Zabuza?" Kakashi asked.

"So you saw through our little poly. No matter, it does not change what is about to happen her today." There was a pause in his speech. "So Konoha no Shinku Kami Maō is not with you?"

"She's around, waiting to rip a man's nuts off. Are you worried that it will be your turn?" Kakashi joked. He heard a small snort coming from the mist, which was followed by a growl.

"I'm no fool and I know that she isn't with you. You only have those brats with you. Skilled as they might be, they are no match for us." Zabuza said. The mist cleared and the group was surrounded by several Mizu Bunshin. Shizuka sucked in some wind while Sasuke pulled Tazuna to the ground. Sakura and Kakashi hit the deck as Shizuka unleashed her jutsu.

"Fūton: Shinkūha!" She said. She spun and blew out sharpened wind that sliced right through the clones. Once it was over they were nothing more that puddles. Everyone stood up and faced the two nukenin who revealed themselves. Upon seeing Haku, Sasuke stepped forward.

"It's been a while Haku." Sasuke said. Haku didn't look surprised and removed his mask. When they saw his face, Sakura and Shizuka couldn't help but blush at his face.

"So, you did realize that I was Zabuza's partner when we met." Haku said.

"The herbs that you were using were something a friend of mines back home uses. She uses those same herbs in her ointments. They are used to heal battle wounds similar to Zabuza's." Sasuke explained.

"Very good, I knew that you were more than met the eye." Haku said. He placed on his mask and faced them again. "I'm sorry Sasuke but I must put you down in order to serve my precious person."

"You'll find that hard Haku. I will do what I must to protect the bridge builder." Sasuke said and readied himself.

"Well said Sasuke, Shizuka help him out. Sakura, stay with Tazuna no matter what." Kakashi ordered.

"Hai sensei!" they said and prepared to fight. Zabuza chuckled and made a motion to Haku. He nodded and stepped forward to face the two heirs.

**_XXX_**

Kushina stood over the two men who were bound and gagged by the kunoichi. They were sporting some pretty bad bruises thanks to her. She ambushed the two after they entered her barrier. The guy in the eye patch was the first to go after getting caught in her clothesline, which turned in a sleeper hold. He was out in a couple of seconds. The guy in the skull cap tried to cut her in two but he was easily disarmed and thrown across the field. She then took her time in dismantling the guy, leaving him a whimpering mess. She tied the two up and slapped a piece of paper on their foreheads.

She turned her attention back to Tsunami and Inari.

"These guys will be out for a while so you don't need to worry about them. Anyway, it should be save now but just in case, I would head into the village and stay with someone. I'm going to make my way to the bridge." Kushina said.

"We understand and we thank you." Tsunami said. Kushina just grinned and made her way to the bridge.

**_XXX_**

Sasuke and Shizuka were having a time in dealing with Haku. While it looked like that he wasn't much, Haku was deadly. He was able to hold both of them off when it came to close combat. Even when they worked together, Haku was still able to avoid them both. When Sasuke thought that he had him, the teenage showed him that he could use one-handed seals. He and Shizuka were nearly poked to death by a thousand needles.

The two genin looked at Haku, one in frustration, the other in anger.

"This guy is starting to piss me off." Shizuka growled.

"Calm down, we don't need to give him an advantage. We'll find a way to get him. We just need to be patient." Sasuke said.

"I'm done being patient! I'm going to **wipe this guy off the map!**" Shizuka said, her voice getting darker. Sasuke turned and saw that she was covered in the chakra of the Kyūbi. Before he could tell her to stop, she shot off after Haku. Haku was surprised at the speed of the girl but was still able to dodge. Shizuka threw her arm at him and a chakra arm shot forward at Haku's form. Haku used a substitution to escape the charka arm. Shizuka maneuvered the arm to try and grab him but he was just too agile. As he moved, he launched senbon at her but they would bounce off the red chakra that was covering her. She growled and charged at him.

Sasuke could only watch and kept track with his Sharingan. He knew that Shizuka would only get angry if he interfered and when she got angry, she lost control of the Kyūbi chakra. He just kept his eyes open for an opening. It looked like one would present itself soon as Shizuka was starting to lose her cool. He got ready to interfere when it suddenly got cold. He watched as Haku began gather his chakra and a lot of it.

"Makyō Hyōshō." Haku whispered. Shizuka found herself surrounded by a dome of ice mirrors. Sasuke cursed when he saw that.

"Damn it, I wasn't expecting a kekkei genkai." Sasuke cursed.

"**It doesn't matter! Your stupid little mirrors won't stop me!**" Shizuka spat and charged at Haku. Haku melted into the mirrors, forcing Shizuka to stop, and images of the teen appeared all around her. That's when senbon came from all directions. She flexed her chakra and batted them away. When it died down, she was struck in the arm. She winced and pulled them out but was struck again from behind. Volley after volley, Shizuka attempted to defend against the attack but it was getting harder and harder.

Sasuke did some hand seals and took a deep breath.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" Sasuke shouted. He spewed out a ball of fire that crashed against the mirror. When the smoke died down, the mirror was still standing. Haku appeared in the mirror and looked at him.

"A nice attempt but it will take more to smash these mirrors." Haku said.

"I know. They are being infused with your chakra." Sasuke said.

"Ah yes, you are an Uchiha and that is the Sharingan. A very powerful dōjutsu but it can not help you or your comrade against this jutsu." Haku said.

"I can help out more than you think. Trust me, you won't be able to hit my teammate again." Sasuke said.

"Is that so?" Haku said and made his way toward Shizuka who was getting back up. Sasuke did some more hand seals and watched as Haku moved.

"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!" Sasuke shouted and spat out several balls of fire at Haku. Haku was now forced to dodge the mini-fireballs that seem to be controlled by Sasuke. Haku barely escaped to a mirror but had to move as Shizuka appeared and smashed it to pieces. Sasuke fired another Hōsenka no Jutsu at Haku in an attempt to keep him away from the mirrors. Haku cursed until he was grabbed by Shizuka. With a vicious grin, Shizuka slammed her fist into his face, shattering the mask and sending him flying out of the dome. He hit the ground and skid to a stop a few feet away. Haku stopped himself and did a seal, forcing the mirrors to shatter and launch at Shizuka. Sasuke was quicker and grabbed her away before they could connect.

He landed and laid Shizuka down. She was on her knees and the chakra of the Kyūbi was receding. She looked at Sasuke with a frown.

"I didn't ask for your help but thanks." Shizuka said.

"I'll take what I can get. Maybe now, you'll stick to the plan?" Sasuke asked. Shizuka just scoffed when they heard footsteps. They looked back to see Sakura.

"What the hell are you doing forehead?! Why did you leave Tazuna alone?!" Shizuka growled.

"Your mother sent me here. She's watching Tazuna and has him safely behind a barrier." Sakura spat. She then turned to Sasuke. She saw that his Sharingan was active. "So Sasuke, what do you want me to do?"

"For now, I need you to stay in that spot and wait. He's very fast and agile. Not only that, he has a kekkei genkai that allows him to use ice. It will be hard for you to hit your jutsu. Shizuka and I will engage him again. I'll give you the signal and you hit him with your jutsu. Once you do, we hit him with that collaboration." Sasuke said. He turned to Shizuka. "You think you can call up the chakra of your prisoner?"

"No, the stupid fox is being selfish." Shizuka answered. Sasuke didn't comment and pulled out a kunai. Shizuka joined him and the two attacked Haku. Shizuka fired a jutsu, which slammed against one of his ice mirrors. Sasuke flanked him and engaged him up close. Shizuka flipped over the mirror and joined Sasuke in attacking him. Haku noticed that they were more in sync that before and were pushing him back. He kicked Shizuka away but was placed in a wrist lock by Sasuke. He quickly got out of it and caught Sasuke in the chest. He popped up to avoid a sweep by Shizuka. She continued her momentum and landed a spinning side kick to his chest. She tried to land a punch but Haku caught the arm and stabbed a senbon in the arm, disabling it.

Sasuke covered for her and engaged him again. He used his kunai and was able to push him back. It would be seconds later when Shizuka appeared again. Haku was being overwhelmed and he needed to get some space from the two. He looked at Sakura. He didn't really take her seriously because of what she did in the first meeting. While he wasn't one to take a hostage, he need to. Using his ice mirror, he teleported right behind Sakura. He grabbed her and held a senbon to her neck. The other two stopped and watched as Haku held their teammate.

"I do not take pleasure in this but you two have given me no choice." Haku said.

"You've lost Haku. It's time to surrender and forget about taking the life of Tazuna. Don't you see that what you're doing is destroying this country?" Sasuke asked.

"It's not that I haven't noticed but I must side with Zabuza-sama. If it wasn't for him, I would have been dead or worst. I owe him my life and I will do anything and everything to see that he dreams come through." Haku said.

"Is that your finally answer?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes, it is. I'm sorry." Haku said.

"So am I. Sakura, now!" Sasuke shouted. Haku was confused when he was suddenly felt his body go stiff. Sakura was able to slip away while Sasuke and Shizuka finished their hand seals.

"Fūton: Shinkūha!" Shizuka called out.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" Sasuke called out. He spun with Shizuka and mixed his flames with her wind. Haku could not move as he was still caught in whatever Sakura caught him in. He couldn't protect himself from their combined attack.

"Guren Bakuenjin!" They both shouted and Haku was consumed in a twister of slicing wind blades covered in flames. Haku was sent flying and landed several feet away from the group. When the attack died down, the three genin moved careful toward the fallen body of Haku. When they saw him, each was pretty uncomfortable. Sakura threw up immediately while Sasuke and Shizuka held it in. Haku's body was cut up and had burns on his wounds. He was alive but barely. Sasuke walked up to him and Haku gave him a smile.

"In the end, I was not able to be of any use to my precious person. I am nothing but a broken tool." Haku said with tears in his eyes. He then looked at Sasuke. "I must ask one thing of you Sasuke. I want you to end my life. I have nothing left to live for." Sasuke looked at him with a neutral expression before pulling out a kunai. Sakura gasped at what Sasuke was about to do and even Shizuka was surprised. Sasuke then helped Haku to his knees. After setting him up, Sasuke then handed him the kunai. Haku was surprised until Sasuke pulled out another kunai and stood behind him. Haku just smirked at the gesture.

"May I ask why?" Haku asked.

"My hands will only be stained with the blood of the man who took my precious people." Sasuke said.

"I see. I pray that you will find new precious people someday." Haku said before taking the kunai and slitting his throat. Shizuka and Sakura turned their heads as Haku allowed the blood to drip from his neck. He then fell over, dead. Sasuke looked at the damaged body with some sadness.

"Perhaps I will Haku. I wish you well on your journey." Sasuke said. He looked at his teammates and made a motion with his head. Sakura was quickly to his side while Shizuka walked pass them. They made their way back to Kushina.

**_XXXXX_**

**_Authors' Notes_**: I feel that Haku's death was a little dark but I felt that this was the best way to end it. I've usually gone with the Naruto plot or I've done something a little different but I want to try something new. I felt that it was dark and I can only go by what I wrote. If your disturbed by it, then this is a warning to you. As some of you can see and for those who follow _Fairy Tail_, I use one of their techniques. So, that collaboration move does not belong to me. Anyway, enjoy.

**_Glossary_**

**_Nukenin_** – Missing-nin

**_kekkei genkai_** – Bloodline Limit

**_dōjutsu_** – Eye Technique

**_Konoha no Shinku Kami Maō_** – Konoha's Crimson Haired Devil

**_Fūton: Shinkūha_** – Wind Release: Vaccum Wave

**_Makyō Hyōshō_** – Demonic Mirror Ice Crystals

**_Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu_** – Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique

**_Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu_** – Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique

**_Guren Bakuenjin_** - Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade


	16. Chapter 15

**_Chapter 15_**

Kushina was listening for the sounds of battle that just seem to end. A few seconds before, she heard the sounds of the collaboration jutsu that she helped the genin create. Since then, she hadn't heard anything. Then there was Kakashi who was fighting earlier but he had gone silent. She hoped that everyone was okay. She immediately pulled out a kunai and pulled Tazuna behind her. She waited for whoever entered her barrier. That's when she saw Kakashi's team. She gave a sigh of relief but it changed when she saw their faces.

Sakura was in tears and hugging herself. She was shivering and looked like she had seen something horrible. Sasuke looked okay but she could see right pass it. He looked very disturbed about something and he wasn't taking something well. Shizuka had a blank face. Kushina attributed this to Danzō and his teaching her. It would be something that she would address when she returned. In all, everyone was barely holding it together.

That's when her attention was focused on the sound of chirping birds. The screeching sound was very familiar and Kushina knew that this battle was about to end. She turned her attention to Kakashi's team.

"Hey!" she shouted, getting everyone's attention. "Now is not the time to shut down on me! We are in the middle of a mission situation and I need you focused!" Sakura was still shaking but stood at attention. Shizuka still had a blank look but stood like a robot. Sasuke was the only one who looked professional. "Good. I need you to watch over Tazuna and don't leave his side. Am I understood?" They nodded and Kushina took off to help Kakashi.

**_XXX_**

Kakashi removed his arm from Zabuza's chest. He watched the life leave his eyes as his hounds released him and allowed him to hit the ground. The mist began to clear and Kakashi let out a sigh of relief. Kakashi turned when he heard the sounds of footsteps. He prepared himself but relaxed when his hound, Bull, pant happily and ran to the person. The only person, besides Pakkun, he liked was Kushina. The mist cleared and he saw the large bull-dog being spoiled by the red head. He gave an eye smile to the two and brought his hitai-ate over his Sharingan eye.

"I wish you wouldn't spoil him like that." Kakashi said.

"Stop being jealous, we don't have the time." Kushina said. Kakashi was confused until he heard the tapping of a cane. He turned to see a short man with a cast on his hand to forearm. He was followed by an army of bandits and mercs.

"Well, I guess I should thank you ninja for taking out Zabuza. He was a useless person. Kirigakure no Kijin, my ass." Gatō joked. The other men laughed at the mocking. Kakashi glared at them as did Kushina. "Since you did me a favor and took care of Zabuza, how about you do in the old man? I'll pay you double what he's paying you."

"Sorry but we are contracting to protect Tazuna. He's building this bridge to help his village and I, for one, will help him see his dream." Kushina said.

"Well that's too bad bitch. I guess you'll just have to die with the old man and those brats." Gatō said.

"You really think that don't you? Too bad I'm going to have to disappoint you." Kushina said. With amazing speed, Gatō found himself restrained by a golden chain. He was pulled forward and while he was in mid-air, Bull slammed him down and held him. The army of thugs were shocked but quickly shook it off. However, they never got to move forward when Kushina spouted several more gold chains. She had bladed tips at the ends of them. She motioned them forward and the chains moved toward the army. The chains punched through the bridge, creating holes in the foundation. Many of the men were, were knocked down and up into the air. The attacks caused a lot cracks into where they were standing. When it became too much, the bridge fell into the ocean.

Kushina stopped her technique and made her way to the water. She landed on the surface and did some hand seals.

"Suiton: Daibakuryū!" Kushina shouted. The water began to swirl and drag the army under the water. The whirlpool was very strong and everyone was sucked into the deep water. Kushina stopped her flow in the water and the whirlpool began to subside. Kushina suddenly started to cheer and pumped her fist.

"Yes, I still got it! Dattebane!" Kushina cheered.

"My bridge!" Tazuna screamed. Kushina looked up to see the old man who was in tears at the destruction of his bridge. Kushina suddenly realized what she did and gave an apologetic look. Kakashi just shook his head. While she was an adult, Kushina was still very much like a child.

**_XXX_**

Naruto stopped eating his ramen and looked toward a random direction. He stared in that direction and suddenly sighed in frustration. Tenchi looked at the blond and was confused by his irritation.

"Is something wrong Naruto?" Tenchi asked.

"I just know that either my sister or my mother has done something and it is going to cause us some problems." Naruto said with a sigh.

"Come on, your sister maybe a brat but she's not that bad and your mother has grown up from when she was younger. I'm sure they're not causing too much trouble." He said.

"I guess but I'm not going to hold my breath. I bet you two bowls of ramen that I'm going to pay for something they did." Naruto said. He returned to his ramen and hoped that it wasn't true.

**_XXX_**

It had been four days since the battle on the destroyed bridge. Kushina had apologized like crazy for her part of the destruction. They then turned their attention to Gatō who was still being held by Bull. The Konoha ninja decided to allow the village to deal out his punishment. Gatō was paraded and beaten by the villagers for what he did. He was then forced to turn everything he took back to the village. Once that was done, they sent word to the samurai of Tetsu no Kuni. They were happy to come and get the tyrant as he had done this within their lands as well. Once he was taken away, the village celebrated.

While things were going good in the village, team Kakashi was not doing that well. Kakashi and Kushina were worried about how the team was dealing with the death of the hunter-nin. Kakashi praised the team and explained that this was the way the world that they were in was. While it helped, it did not help enough as each of them was in their own worlds. Sakura was the easier one to deal with.

Kakashi took her and began to show her the Suimen Hokō no Gyō. As he did, he talked to her about his ninja career, his lost friends and the lives he saw vanished. He was kind and caring toward her. He asked her if she wanted to still be a ninja and Sakura was conflicted. He let her know that he would support her decision but let her know that this was the life they led. The next day, he met with her and she decided to continue her career. She also asked him to help her get better so that she wouldn't have to kill for a long while. Kakashi was happy to oblige.

Sasuke was the second one to get out of his funk. Kushina was the one to come to him. She didn't ask how he was feeling but she did ask him how it felt. She spoke to him and told him that it was not easy to watch someone die, no matter how much you hated someone. She continued to tell him that she knows what he is going through, that he was thinking about the situation. She praised him for handling it but if he needed someone to talk to that she, Kakashi and others were there for him. Sasuke nodded and sat in silence. The next day, he thanked her and joined Sakura in training.

Shizuka was still the most difficult of the three. She refused to talk to either sensei about anything. Kushina was worried about her daughter's health as she could tell that she was not sleeping well. After the third day, Kushina physically dragged her to an area and forced her to talk about. She was defiant, telling her that she was a ninja and ninja did not need such emotions. Kushina was so angry at those words and countered about her lack of sleep. She told her that even if she was a ninja, she was human and as a human, she couldn't just cut those emotions off. She told her that she wasn't Danzō and that she was Shizuka. Shizuka silent agreed but she swore that she would be like her surrogate uncle and cut off her emotions. That earned her a slap by her mother. Kushina told her that she was disappointed in her and left her alone. Shizuka was training by herself and the two Uzumaki women refused to speak with each other.

In all, everyone was more or less back to normal. Tazuna had said that the bridge was almost completed and that they would be leaving in two days. They couldn't wait to get home.

**_XXX_**

Naruto was coming back for an easy B-rank mission that Hiruzen gave him. Behind him, was team Kurenai who had helped him with the mission. Naruto was dragging a body with him also. It was Mizuki, a traitor and spy. Hiruzen was onto the man when he saw that he was making usual requests about the security on the Hokage tower. When he was confronted about it, he blew his apartment up and nearly killed several ninja. He managed to escape the village but he was immediately hunted down by Naruto and the new genin team.

Naruto dealt with Mizuki who had insulted his sister, calling her a demon. Naruto was not gentle with the man and made him regret his words about Shizuka. He attempted to use the genin as hostages but he found out the hard way that was a mistake. The team worked very well together and Mizuki was disabled. Kurenai was very pleased with her team as the fact that she didn't have to intervene.

The group was at the gates and was signing into the village. That's when Kiba sniffed something. He turned and he saw some people that he recognized.

"Hey Sasuke, Sakura!" Kiba called out. Everyone turned to see team seven walk up to the gate. Kakashi waved at them as did Kushina. As the ANBU took Mizuki away, Naruto looked at the team. Naruto and Kurenai noticed that the team looked pretty dejected. As they reached the gate, Shizuka darted to the guards signed her name and left. Naruto looked at her retreating back before looking at his mother. She just sighed and shook her head. Kiba wanted to say something but he was afraid of what Naruto would do to him.

Hinata looked at the team and noticed something as well. She didn't know what had happened but it must have been some terrible to have them like that. She gathered up her courage and faced the team.

"S-Sasuke-san, S-Sakura-san, would you like to join my team f-for some lunch?" Hinata asked. Sasuke looked like he wanted to refused but he felt that he could use the company right now. He didn't really feel like going home to that empty house. He looked at Kakashi with Sakura.

"Sure, I'll give the report. Take a week off also." Kakashi said.

"Go ahead guys and put it on my tab. I'll join you later today to go over the mission." Kurenai said. The two teams made their way into the village. Naruto looked at his mother.

"Something I should know about?" Naruto asked.

"I'll tell you later. I wouldn't want you to do something stupid like you did last time." Kushina said.

"Oh like you don't do anything stupid. I bet you did something on the mission that would give the old man a heart-attack." Naruto countered. Kushina blushed as Kakashi snickered. "Oh my god, what did you do and how much is it going to cost?" Red in the face, Kushina grabbed her son by the ear and dragged him to the Hokage tower. Naruto was whining and complaining all the way there.

**_XXX_**

Shizuka laid on the table while Danzō stood over her. He was surprised that Shizuka seeked him out and begged him to seal certain memories. He listened to her and understood what she was trying to do. He called one of his top men, Fū, to help her. He told her to relax and he got to work on dealing with her mentally issues. Danzō looked on with a small frown. While Shizuka joked a lot, he truly wished that she was a less emotional. He figured it would help her in controlling the Kyūbi's chakra. However, she allowed herself to get too emotional and was almost killed because of it. He would have to get his hand on the mission report to learn what happened.

Still, things couldn't be better for him. Shizuka's estrangement from her family was a silver lining. He was worming his hold on the child more and she was receptive of his ideals. It would not take much more until she chose to join his faction. She would be the perfect tool in showing the ninja world the strength of Konohagakure. He would see his vision of the world come true and Shizuka would be the sword that he would use against his enemies.

**_XXXXX_**

**_Glossary_**

**_Suimen Hokō no Gyō_** - Water Surface Walking Practice

**_Suiton: Daibakuryū _**- Water Release: Great Waterfall Flow


	17. Chapter 16

_**Chapter 16**_

Shizuka arrived home later that day. She was training with Danzō just so that she would not need the help of her teammates. It was an excuse because she did not feel like talking to her mother. By now, she probably told her brother and she did not really feel like listening to what he had to say. As she made her way to her room, she heard the sound of someone training. She went out in the back yard and saw her brother in front of a large boulder. She saw that it was split perfectly in half, meaning that he was working with his Onsoku Fūsoku no Ken.

Naruto spared her a glance before getting into his stance again. Shizuka just looked at him, trying to see what he was about to do. Too bad for her because the speed that Naruto did the move, she could not see how he did it. She just kept looking at him, hoping to see something but he gave nothing away. After a while, Shizuka got tired of the silence.

"So, you've got nothing to say?" Shizuka asked. Naruto continued to ignore her. "Is that it? You're just going to ignore me because of what I said to mom?" her voice getting higher. Naruto let out a sigh and stood straight up.

"What can I say that I haven't said before Shizuka? You are just going to ignore me, so I just don't care anymore. You will, however, apologize to mom. Your words were unnecessary and you hurt her feelings." Naruto said with a sharp tone.

"Why should I apologize? I didn't say anything wrong. We're ninja and we are tools of the village. We do what we can to show our strength." Shizuka said.

"Is that what Danzō told you? Is that what you believed our father was, a tool?" Naruto asked with a hard edge. He faced Shizuka and the young girl swallowed the lump in her throat. Her brother looked very angry and when angry he was someone you did not what to be around. "You feed off his every word like a parrot. You really think he cares about you? He only cares because you're an asset. You have one of the strongest demons sealed within you and that's all he wants. He doesn't care how you're feeling and he doesn't care about your dreams. All he cares about is molding his own little weapon that he can use to defeat his enemies, not Konoha's."

"You don't know anything about him!" Shizuka shouted.

"I know that you're nothing but a little fool who believes that the village respects her power! News flash, they hate you Shizuka! They only respect you because of Danzō! They fear what will happen should you lose control! You think that you are the savior that dad was but you aren't one-fourth of the hero he was. He cared about the village first, not his own personal glory! The truth is Shizuka; you disrespect his name by telling yourself that! I know that he would never have accepted your actions and deep down, you know it too!" Naruto yelled. Shizuka was shocked and left speechless. His words had truly hit her core and by the look in his eyes, he meant every word that he said. Shizuka clenched her fist and glared hard at her brother. She held back the tears that threaten to fall.

"I hate you, stupid Naruto!" Shizuka roared and ran to her room. Hearing the door slam, Naruto just combed his hair with his hand and sighed.

_**XXX**_

It was a very tense morning in the Uzumaki household. The three members of the family were eating breakfast, not speaking to one another. Kushina looked at her two children and was very worried. She had heard the words of the fight the two had and she couldn't do anything about it. While she believed that Naruto was harsh, he was right. It didn't stop her heart from aching when she heard her little girl weeping. She wanted to speak with her son but he had already left and did not return until late last night. She was curious as to why he was dirty.

Shizuka was trying to eat as fast as she could so that she could get out of the house. The words of her brother still hurt and she was just too angry when she was around him. As far as she was concerned, she didn't want anything from him anymore. She finished eating and quickly excused herself before anyone could say something to her. As she opened the door to leave, she was greeted with the sight of two Konoha jōnin. Kushina stood up and saw that it were her former two students, Tekuno Kanden and Hayama Shirakumo.

"Tekuno, Hayama, what can I do for my former students?" Kushina greeted with a smile.

"I wish that this was a social visit sensei but we need to know if Naruto is here." Hayama asked.

"I'm here." Naruto said and stood in front of two of his friends. "So, am I under-arrest? Don't hold back just because of my mom." That confused both Shizuka and Kushina.

"No, at least I don't know. We were ordered to bring you to the council chambers. It's there that they will decide your fate." Tekuno said.

"Fine, let's get this over with." Naruto said. Kushina just looked at her son and sighed in frustration.

"Son of a bitch, what did you do now?" Kushina asked while giving her son a sour look.

"It wasn't anything serious." Naruto said.

_**XXX**_

Naruto just stood in front of the council while his mother was looking at them with wide eyes. She turned back to her son with a look of surprise.

"You leveled a building?!" she screamed.

"Technically, Ow! Ow! Ow!" Naruto cried out as his mother had him by the ear. Kushina was glaring murder at her son while others chuckled at the display. "Okay, how is this as bad as you taking out a section of a bridge? Besides, I was checking something out!" Kushina let go of his ear and gave him a look that he had better explain himself now. Naruto just rubbed his ear for a while before pulling out a mask and showing it to the council members. The Hokage, the elders and Kushina all noticed the mask and were awaiting the explanation.

"Look, I was just minding my own business when I saw some guy dressed like an ANBU but I did not recognize the mask. I confronted him and I saw some more people that I did not recognize. I told them to surrender and they attacked. I defended myself but I may have gotten a little crazy about it." Naruto explained.

"Where were the bodies Naruto? We checked the rubble and found not one body." Tsume said.

"I barely got out of the building alive. I didn't really check for survivors. Still, there should have been some sign of them." Naruto said.

"Naruto, I respect you need to keep the village safe but you should have sent word for reinforcements. It was reckless of you to do something so stupid. Just because people fear your name, does make you invincible." Hiruzen said.

"Yeah, I'm sorry Hokage-sama. I guess I have allowed my fame to go to my head. I will accept any punishment that you give me." Naruto said.

"We will discuss your punishment in private but I don't think it will be so severe. I guess that this meeting is adjourned." Hiruzen said. Kushina just looked at her son and shook her head.

"Where did I go wrong with you?" she asked with a sigh. A chuckle turned her attention to the clan heads. She narrowed her eyes at them. "You got something to say?"

"I find it amusing that you're mad at the pup for something so trivial. If I recall, I remember a certain red-head brawling with a couple of Hyūga members because they said something to her that she did not like. Didn't you give a teenage Hiashi a black eye?" Tsume asked with amusement.

"Yes, she did. She sounds very hypocritical when she speaks about the boy when he is a prime example of her younger days." Hiashi commented. Kushina walked up to him and began to hit his arm with an open hand. "Ow! Ow! Ow! What the hell woman?"

"You still have something to say teme? Huh, do you?" Kushina asked as she continued to hit the Hyūga clan leader.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Hiashi exclaimed. The others were laughing at him as he rubbed his arm and Kushina began to relax. Naruto smirked at the two when he caught the look for the Hokage. He nodded and followed him to his office. Once inside, he gave Naruto a look and the blond nodded. He did some hand seals and placed his hand on the wall. A bunch of seals surrounded the room and stayed visible.

"Okay, we're secured." Naruto said.

"Naruto, I thought that we had cleared a huddle in our relationship. Why do you wish for me to continue my term in frustration and paperwork? You do know that Danzō is enraged at what you did?" Hiruzen said.

"Maybe if you enforced the disbanding of the 'Ne' (Root), I wouldn't have to do that for you." Naruto said.

"We both know that you didn't do it for my sake. I don't know what Danzō has done to make you angry but you destroyed one of his building and critically injured a dozen of his men." Hiruzen said.

"The damn war-hawk is digging her claws deeper into her and I won't allow! If he thinks what I did was bad, he has no idea what I'm willing to do!" Naruto exclaimed.

"No, you won't. I feel the same way that you do Naruto but I will not allow you and him to start a private war within the village. Am I understood?" Hiruzen demanded with authority. Naruto looked like he wanted to argue but he sighed and let it go. He nodded to Hiruzen and left the office. Hiruzen sighed and hoped that the young man would keep his word.

_**XXX**_

Naruto was sitting on his father's head in deep thought. He was thinking about what he could do about this situation. He hated Danzō with a passion and he didn't like the fact that Shizuka saw him as some type of family figure. He knew that Danzō did not care about Shizuka and he was afraid that he would use her to hurt the village. If she did go against the village, then he would step in. He had nightmares about something like that happening because he felt that he would have to put down his own sister. It was not what he promised his father that day.

_**~~~Flashback~~~**_

_Naruto had managed to escape the flow of people and his guards. He was worried about his family and he wasn't going to be stopped in searching for them. He checked his home which was in ruins and his worry grew. He wondered where they could be. He then remembered the workshop of his parents. It was where his father did his research for his Hiraishin. He quickly made his way in that direction. He arrived just in time to see his father grimace in pain and the Kyūbi shrink in size. He realized that his father had just used the Shiki Fūjin, which meant that his father was about to die._

_That brought tears to the young blonde's eyes and he wept. He looked at his parents and saw that they were next to his new baby sister. They had an alter there and he saw that they were going to seal the rest of the Kyūbi into his sister with the Hakke no Fūin Shiki. He saw movement from the Kyūbi and saw what the beast was about to do. He was going to lose his father but he refused to lose his sister too. He quickly charged forward and jumped into the air. From out of his back, glowing spears appeared and surrounded him. He threw his hands forward and the spears sped toward the Kyūbi. It shattered the barrier of his mother and pierced the Kyubi's limbs, tails and body._

_Everyone was surprised by what just happened until they saw young Naruto. The blond moved quickly to protect his family but he saw something that shocked him. While he stopped the demon from killing his sister, the claw of the Kyūbi was sticking right through his father. His mother also had a hole in her but it was not a gruesome as his father's wound. He quickly made his way over to her mother. She looked at him with a proud smile._

"_Wow, I knew that… you were just… as kick-ass as… your mommy." Kushina said. She groaned in pain and blood poured. Lucky for him, the Sandaime was there and one of the two ANBU with him was a medic. They were quickly helping Kushina and sent the other to get emergency supplies. Hiruzen cradled the young orange haired girl and faced the Yondaime. The blond man smiled at his son._

"_You've been keeping things from me son. That's good; it's how a true ninja should act." Minato said. Naruto cried as he heard the weakness in his voice. "Now, now, no more tears. You have an important job ahead of you. I know that you are still young but I need you to be strong for me, your mother and your sister, Shizuka. Can you do that for me?"_

"_Y-Yes, I can t-try." Naruto cried._

"_That's my boy. Protect your family and protect the village. Become the village's justice and help bring unity to the world. It is up to you and your sister to finish the work that I started." Minato told him._

"_O-Okay." Naruto said through his tears._

"_I have… faith in you… my son."_

_**~~~Present~~~**_

Naruto looked out into the village and sighed. He remembered the words of his father and he didn't feel any closer to the goal that his father told him about. He had taken the lives of Konoha's and the world's enemies but he still felt that he was a long way from succeeding. Could he truly do it? Could he truly bring true peace to the world? He really hoped so because he did not wish to disappoint his father. He only wished that he sister would turn a new leaf and help him.

_**XXXXX**_

_**Authors' Notes**_: I hope that you enjoyed the reason behind Kushina's survival and how Naruto was involved in the sealing. Things are getting very tense between the two children of Minato and it doesn't look like there is a solution in site. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter.


	18. Chapter 17

**_Chapter 17_**

Shizuka blew out another series of Fūton: Shinkūgyoku. She was breathing hard and fell to her knees. She glared hard at the shredded targets with rage. She kept picturing the face of Sasuke, her brother's pet project. She was just so angry at him. Everything was his fault anyway. If he didn't come that night and beg her brother for training then she would have had a better relationship with her brother. It was his entire fault, ALL HIS FAULT! She gathered the remainder of her chakra and took a deep breath.

"Fūton: Shinkū Taigyoku!" Shizuka roared and fired a large ball of compressed air. It hit the targets and disintegrated them into splinters. She was breathing heavier now and suddenly felt faint. It wouldn't be long before she fell over and fell on her face. When she re-opened her eyes, she was no longer in the training ground. Getting her bearings, she recognized the place she was in and frowned. She didn't like this place because of what it represented. The place was dark and dank. All over the wall were vines with very sharp thorns. There were a bunch of black roses that grew out of the vines.

Shizuka sucked her teeth and made her way through the thorny vines and murky water. She walked for a while until she came to a cage that was also wrapped in vines and thorns. On the gate was a paper with the kanji symbol for 'seal'. She glared at the gate and placed her hands on her hips.

"Alright, you stupid fox, get you tailed ass out here!" Shizuka demanded. A glow came from behind the cage and two red eyes appeared before her. "I thought I made it clear to you to never contact me."

"**What, no greeting for me, my dark container?**" the Kyūbi asked mockingly.

"Don't call me that! I am neither dark nor your container! You work for me and don't you forget it!" Shizuka exclaimed. She was suddenly sent flying by a blast of chakra. She hit the wall slumped. She stood back up and glared at the cage.

"**Remember you place girl. I do not work with you and you do not control me. Do not assume that you are in control just because I am in you. Your mother and her predecessor knew when to show respect and you will do the same.**" The Kyūbi snarled. Shizuka looked at the beast with narrowed eyes. The two had never gotten along when they met. It was when Danzō started helping her to control the fox. The fox was not a being that enjoyed her and the two were always at odds. The only time that they seem to agree with one another was when there was something that they needed to destroy and Sasuke. Shizuka spat out some bile and faced the beast.

"What the hell do you want? I don't have time to deal with you." Shizuka said

"**Poor little Shizuka, so lonely and sad. Putting up such a brave face but deep inside, she is nothing more that little girl aching for her brother's love and acceptance. It is just so delicious.**" The fox said and laughed. Shizuka was enraged at the fox's mocking. The Kyūbi just looked at her with amusement in its eyes. "**Those words he told you, they hurt, didn't they? You strived to be just as great as your ****_father _****but in the end, you're not even like him. It must have burned you to hear that from your own flesh and blood?**" The Kyūbi said with a laugh. Shizuka was getting angrier with each word. "**Well, I've had my fun. However, I must warn you. You need to be careful around your brother. You keep acting stupid and he is likely to put an end to you.**" That shocked Shizuka to her core.

"What the hell are you talking about? Naruto is a jerk but I'm his sister! He would never harm me!" Shizuka shouted.

"**So stupid, so naïve. Because you have allowed that mortal to continue to poison your already dark mind, your family is very cautious about you. Do you really think that if you continue your actions that they will not step in? Your father would do so and I definitely know that Kushina and Naruto would step in if you lose control. If there is no other way, I have no doubt that Naruto will do the deed. It may hurt him but if it is to protect the village, he will do it, even if it is against you.**" The Kyūbi said. Shizuka looked at him with shock. There was just no way Naruto would do something like that. The Kyūbi just chuckled at her "**Oh yes, he would. Like father, like son. Now, be gone!**"

With that, Shizuka woke up with a start. She took a couple of deep breaths and tried to calm herself down. After a few minutes, Shizuka calmed herself and reflected on her one-sided conversation with the fox. She believed that he was just messing with her but he sounded so sure that it would happen. Would Naruto really restrain her just because Danzō was training her? Would he even kill her if needed? No, Naruto wouldn't do that. He loved her even if she was a bitch. She stood up and walked away, the Kyubi's word floating around in her head.

**_XXX_**

Naruto was walked through the streets, not really caring where he was going. He was still thinking about what he could do to help this situation. He felt wrong about what he thought about. He did love his sister and he would do anything to protect her, even if he had to become a missing-nin for killing Danzō. He just couldn't understand why Shizuka couldn't see that bastard for who he was? Was it his fault because he ignored her when she got older? He just sighed and continued to walk until he was touched on his shoulder. Naruto turned to see Hana.

"Hana?" Naruto said.

"Man, you must have been deep in thought. I was calling your name for a while." Hana said.

"Oh sorry, I've got a lot on my mind." Naruto said.

"I see. Do you want to talk about it?" Hana asked.

"I'll be okay. You don't need to worry." He said with a smile.

"Uh huh," She said. She suddenly grabbed his arm and dragged the blond toward an unknown place.

**_XXX_**

The two were seated at a local tea shop. They sat across from each other, each with their arms folded and staring at each other. Hana had a smirk on her face while Naruto had a stubborn pout on his face. He looked to his left to see one of the Haimaru brothers to his left. He knew that the other two were to his right and behind him. He sighed and returned to looking at Hana.

"You know, I never liked this about you. You're more stubborn than my mom. I should have known that though. You are an Inuzuka." Naruto said.

"And you're just as stubborn because of the Uzumaki blood that runs through your veins. Look, I'm just an ear that will listen to your problems. Just tell me what's wrong." Hana said. Naruto sighed and groaned. Hana had a victorious smirk on her face, which pissed the blond off.

"Don't smile, you haven't won jack!" Naruto exclaimed. Hana just kept smiling. Naruto suddenly got serious. "What is your opinion of my sister?"

"Shizuka?" Hana asked in surprise. "Well, she's… kind of nice."

"Come on, tell me the truth." He said. Hana looked at him with the same seriousness.

"Look Naruto, your sister is a bitch. She thinks that she's this savior but she's really just a brat. I understand that she has such a task ahead of her but to demand stuff like we owe her, she's lucky that someone hasn't punched her in the face, mostly because you'll kill them or that old mummy will kill them. Sorry." She said.

"That what everyone says. I just don't know what to do. She's disrespectful and Danzō has her head filled with nonsense. I love Shizuka and I believe that she could one day be the hero my father believed her to be but if I can't break this hold on he has on her, I'm afraid about what has to be done. Does that make me a monster?" Naruto asked.

"No, I think you're just filled with love. You care a great deal about her and you want her to be happy." Hana said. The two were silent for a while before she spoke again. "Can I offer you some advice?"

"Sure."

"I think that you should let her make her own choices. Give her your opinion and still look out for her but let her make her mistakes and learn for them. She's an adult now because of her hitai-ate. She had to learn on her own and maybe she will grow into that hero that your father believes her to be. Just give her time. She's still thirteen." Naruto listened to the words and they did have truth to them. He sighed and looked to the sky.

"Maybe, I am being to judgmental." Naruto muttered. "Thanks Hana, I'll consider it."

"No problem. That's what friends are for right?" Hana asked with a grin. Naruto smirked and reached for his tea. When lean back, he suddenly felt something soft on the back of his neck. He was curious about that until two arms snaked around him and hands roamed all over his body. Hana looked at the person who did that and was horrified. That's when the person spoke.

"Well, well, if it isn't my future husband." The voice said in his ear. Naruto stiffen and looked for an exit but it was too late as he was held against her body, the chair and her very strong hold. "Now, now, why do you want to escape?" she asked in a sultry voice. The woman's hands roamed his chest area and were slowly, making its way to his pants.

"Damn it Anko, let me go!" Naruto exclaimed.

"But why? I like holding on to you like this." Anko said softly and nibbled his ear. Naruto was red in the face and he wasn't the only one. Hana was angry as hell and so wanted to rip the purple haired woman to shreds for molesting him.

"Hey, get off him!" Hana exclaimed. Anko looked at her for a minute before grinning.

"Nope, I'm not going to. Besides, if you're not bold enough to just jump his bones like you want to, then I'm going to." Anko stated. Hana growled and lunged at the woman.

**_XXX_**

Naruto held his jaw with the ice pack that he got from the medic. Why did things like this happen to him? He was just a causality of the fight between the two women, mostly because Anko used him as a shield in the beginning. Hana had really improved her strength since the last time. He stupidly attempted to stop the fight, which earned him a black eye and a kick to the nuts. He knew that this was Anko's fault because of her action. When he was a kid, she would always smother him with hugs and Hana never liked it. Now she would molest him and Hana would be irate about it. He just sighed and made his way into the kitchen.

As he entered, he saw his sister. She was eating a sandwich and some milk. The two stared at each other for a while before he sighed and faced her.

"Shizuka, I'm sorry." Naruto said. Shizuka looked at her brother with surprise. She didn't say anything so Naruto continued to speak. "I shouldn't have said that father would be ashamed of you. I believe that he would have been proud at how strong you have gotten. I'm always going to be your brother and I'm always going to look out for your best interest. However, I realize that you are an adult now and I shouldn't baby you anymore. I should let you make your own choices. Still if you need to talk or anything, know that I and mom will always be there." Naruto grabbed a towel and dumped some ice on it. He wrapped the towel up and placed it on his eye. Shizuka finally spoke.

"What happened to you?" she asked softly.

"Got in the middle of a girl fight." Naruto stated.

"Stupid Naruto." Shizuka said with mirth. Naruto scoffed but it was a happy one. Shizuka then spoke some more. "I… I'll apologize to mom for what I said and I apologize to you too. I was a little out of line."

"Eh, don't sweat it. If anything, its mom's fault that we're like this. I mean, she is called the Akai Chishio no Habanero for a reason. Maybe it just passed down to us from her." Naruto said.

"You got a point. I mean, who destroys part of a bridge?" Shizuka asked.

"You got me. Maybe she's on the rag or something." Naruto said. That's when the siblings felt a chill go up their spines. They turned to see their mother, a vain popping out of her forehead and her jaw clenched. She looked at her two children who gulped at the fake smile that she was giving.

"I… am going to hurt you two really bad." Kushina said with a dangerous tone. The two siblings looked at each other and nodded. Naruto threw the table at his mother. Kushina smashed the table into pieces and watched as both of her children made a run for it. She quickly gave chase after the two to dish out some righteous justice. Inwardly though, she was smiling. She was glad that her children were talking again. Maybe there was some type of hope for her family.

**_XXXXX_**

**_Authors' Notes_**: I caught a lot of flap for the last chapter. Do you really believe that I would have Naruto do that to Shizuka? Of course I was going to write a chapter like this. Shizuka is going to be a bithc in the story but I was always going to improve her relationship with her brother. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter.

**_Glossary_**

Akai Chishio no Habanero – Red Hot-Blooded Habanero

Fūton: Shinkū Taigyoku – Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere

Fūton: Shinkūgyoku – Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere


	19. Chapter 18

_**Chapter 18**_

After that day, things began to gradually change around the Namikaze-Uzumaki home. The relationship between brother and sister changed slowly. Shizuka wasn't that much of a bitch toward Naruto and Naruto allowed her to live her own life. She still didn't like that he trained Sasuke and he still didn't like how she liked Danzō. Kushina just took the change as a blessing and just kept watch over her two children. The change at home did little with Shizuka's team. She still did not respect or like her teammates and sensei but at least she was willing to work with them a little more. The teamwork began to get better, which Kakashi was very happy for. Because of this, he began to teach the team the Suimen Hokō no Gyō.

After a few months, the jōnin had gathered in the Hokage's office. It was that time again, the Chūnin Exams. This time, it was being held here in Konohagakure. Konoha had a good run at the exams in the last couple of years. It started when Kushina took over as headmaster of the academy. Because she did things differently, much to the civilian council's displeasure, the students were better trained. Whether they were from a clan or a civilian, Kushina trained every one of them to be shinobi. When her graduates entered the exams, they did very well. In fact, Konoha had the most amount of chūnin among the five ninja villages. It was all thanks to Kushina's program and everyone had to accept it.

Naruto stood in the corner and kept hidden. He didn't really want Anko to find him and cause a scene. He also did not want word to get back to Hana. For some reason, she blamed him for Anko's acts toward him. It wasn't he fault that Anko did not take no for an answer. How the hell did he become the bad guy in their fight? He just sighed and waited to hear which teams would be selected. He had already seen Gai enter his team. That's when he heard Kakashi nominate his team. This was followed by Kurenai and Asuma nominating their teams. Naruto didn't have an issue but Iruka did. The chūnin argued about putting them in the exams. Kakashi wasn't helping matters. He decided to step in before anything happened.

"Stop treating him like that Kakashi. He's just worried about his students. Yeah, they might be your soldiers but he's been their sensei for four years. I think he deserves to give his input." Naruto said. Kakashi gave Naruto a puppy-dog whine when Naruto turned to Iruka. "And while you have a point Iruka, I don't see why you distrust their jōnin. Do you really believe that they would not have prepared their students for such an exam?" Iruka looked a little ashamed. "Besides, we are forgetting one important fact. These genin are products of my mother's tyrannical rule of the academy." That's when everyone realized that Naruto was right. At the academy, Kushina crushed something in her hand, scaring several students.

"Alright, that's enough. Thank you Naruto for intervening and for being right on both points. Now, is there any other team who would like to enter the exams?" Hiruzen asked.

_**XXX**_

Shizuka was standing over three small children, each with a lump on their heads. She gave them all a glare and they flinched because of it. The three kids were friends of her older brother. They looked up to him a lot and they even learned his stupid jutsu, the Oiroke no Jutsu. The reason why she had bopped the three academy kids were because they had used that stupid technique to get them some free ice cream. She always remembered that her mother always said that if they ever see that technique that they deserved a punch in the head.

Shizuka stood over them with her hands on her hips. Moegi and Udon looked frightened while Konohamaru looked at her with defiance.

"Don't give me that look brat. You know damn well that jutsu is forbidden by the Uzumaki women." Shizuka said sternly.

"Why are you such a bitch?! Naruto-nichan is much cooler than you!" Konohamaru exclaimed.

"Like I care, I'm not my brother and if I catch you doing that stupid jutsu again, I'm going to brain you again." Shizuka said with an edge. That's when she felt that someone was looking at her. It was faint but she knew that there were eyes on her. She then placed two fingers on the ground and channeled some chakra. It was a senor jutsu that her brother recently showed her. The children watched her with confusion until her eyes opened wide and she turned around, placing them behind her. She narrowed her eyes at the tree that was there.

"Come out, I know that you're there!" Shizuka demanded. A whirl of sand appeared in front of her. It formed to reveal a boy the same age as her. He was a little shorter and paler than her. He had brick red hair and piercing green eyes. The rings around his eyes gave him a raccoon type of look. He had a large gourd. The tattoo 'Love' was over his eye looked a little cool to her. He gave her a look and began to release some killer intent. The kids began to shake in fear so Shizuka unleashed some of hers. She directed it at the red-head. This help ease the kids and the battle began between the two.

After what seem like forever, the battle of wills stopped. The boy got a sick grin on his face before speaking.

"You are her, the weapon. You will prove my existence." He said and vanished in a swirl of sand. When she was sure that he was gone, Shizuka turned to her brother's friends. They still look pretty shaken up and sighed at what she was about to do.

"You guys want some ramen?" Shizuka asked. They looked at her with puppy eyes, making her groan. She just made a motion to follow her to the ramen stand.

_**XXX**_

"Another jinchūriki? Are you sure about this?" Kushina asked her daughter. Naruto was in the room as well. They were having dinner when Shizuka brought up the meeting between her and the red-head. The elder Uzumaki was worried and Naruto was very concerned.

"Red Hair, green eyes, marks around the eyes, tattoo 'Love' over the eye, that must mean that the boy is the Yondaime Kazekage's son, Gaara." Naruto said.

"You know this guy?" Shizuka asked. Naruto sighed and looked at his family.

"Five years ago, the Yondaime Kazekage commissioned me to assassinate his son, Gaara. I refused but I was curious as to why he wanted me to kill his son. I learned that Gaara is the container of Ichibi no Shukaku. Before I was chosen, he had three attempts on his life and he killed them mercilessly. The first one who attempted to kill him was a family member. I believe that's when he snapped and started killing for the hell of it." Naruto explained to them. Both women were shocked at what they heard. Naruto turned toward Shizuka. "I assume that Kakashi gave you your form?"

"Yeah, he gave us all forms." Shizuka said.

"You better count on your team Shizuka. This Gaara, he's no joke." Naruto said. Shizuka nodded at her brother. Naruto began to think about something else. Why would the Kazekage send such an unstable person to the exams? Something was up and he was about to find out what it is.

_**XXX**_

Team Kakashi entered the academy on the day of the exam. They met at the entrance of the building and made their way in. As they went up a flight of stairs, they noticed a large crowd around a certain room. They were confused by this and Sasuke decided to use his Sharingan. He noticed something and signaled his team.

"It's a genjutsu." Sasuke whispered.

"They must be testing everyone right now. Who knows how many more traps they got laid around the place?" Sakura added.

"Well then, let's just leave those morons to their faiths. If they can't figure out a simple genjutsu, then they don't deserve to be here." Shizuka finished.

"For once, we agree." Sasuke said and the trio made their way to the third floor. Unknown to them, they were seen by one of the teams. As they searched for the right room, the team was confronted by another team. When Shizuka saw the team, she had to bite back a growl. She recognized one of them and the two were not on great terms.

"Oh it's you. What was it again? Bun-Bun?" Shizuka asked with a smirk.

"It's Tenten and you know that! Even after all this time, you're still a spoiled little bitch." Tenten said.

"You want to try something?" Shizuka asked threateningly.

"You have no idea how much." Tenten said and reached for a scroll in her pouch.

"Hey Shizuka, that's enough! What the hell is your problem? Why are you starting a fight with someone you just met?" Sakura chided.

"This does not concern you, so butt out." Shizuka said.

"That's enough Shizuka. We aren't about to start a fight up here. What if we alert everyone who fell for the genjutsu?" Sasuke stated. Shizuka scoffed at him but she relents.

"I guess we're going to have to settle this another time." Shizuka said. Tenten scoffed but relented as well. Sasuke faced the team.

"Was there something you wanted with us?" he asked.

"Nothing really, I just wanted to see the last Uchiha. You do look as strong as they say." The Hyūga said to him. That's when they noticed the kid with the bowl cut walk up to the team. They were all prepared for an attack but they were very surprised by what happened next. He got down on one knee and took Sakura's hand.

"You are a most beautiful blossom. Go out with me and I will protect you forever!" he exclaimed. Everyone looked at the boy with wide eyes. Tenten just sighed and grabbed the bowl cut teen by the scruff of his spandex.

"Come on lover boy, let's get going." Tenten said and dragged him away. The Hyūga followed them and team Kakashi was alone again, stunned by what just happened. They got out of their surprise and began to follow the team to the right room.

_**XXX**_

Team Kakashi was the last team to enter the room. They looked around and saw that there were still a lot of people that managed to get into the room. They were getting some dirty looks, which were returned by Shizuka. After a while, the tension was broken when Sasuke was suddenly tackled by Ino. He managed to get his footing as Ino clung to him. He tried to get the girl off him but she had a very strong grip. It only got worse when Sakura joined in and tried to get Ino off him. Shizuka just looked at the three with an annoyed sigh. That's when she got that feeling. She turned and locked eyes with the one Naruto identified as Gaara.

The two looked at each other and their battle of wills looked like that it was about to continue but it was interrupted by the two fan girls fighting.

"Would you two please, shut the hell up?!" Shizuka shouted. The two girls turned to her and told her to shut up. The two-way fight turned into a three-way, which allowed Sasuke to escape. He dusted himself off and looked around the room. There, he laid eyes on the guy that Shizuka told them about. He could see why she would need their help. He could felt the bloodlust and death around him. If this guy was similar to Shizuka like she said, them they would need to be careful. He suddenly felt a hand tap his shoulder and he turned to see Hinata and Kiba.

"Yo Sasuke, I see that trouble follows you around everywhere." Kiba joked.

"Yeah, I just can't get away. So, every one of us was nominated huh?" Sasuke asked.

"Yep, let's hope that you got a little better. I wouldn't want my sparring partner to lose his touch when I'm not around." Kiba boasted.

"I'm so scared. Look, I'm shaking." Sasuke returned, making Hinata giggle and Kiba snarl. That's when a two person wall appeared in front of Sasuke and glared at Hinata. The girl was surprised by this but she did not back down from the glares. Before anything else could happen, a voice cut in.

"You guys are rookies, aren't you? You have to be because no would be so casual around this environment." The teen said. Everyone looked around the place and saw that some of the older ninja were glaring at them. Shizuka scoffed at them and began to unleash an oppressive chakra that dwarfed the intent aimed at them. Some of the weaker ninja froze in fear and they swore that they saw an image of a fox behind her. She stopped intimidating everyone and turned back to the teen. He looked a little impressed with the young blond female.

"You were saying?" Shizuka asked smugly.

"Oh yeah, take that tone. You've just put a big target on our backs with your stupid stunt. Don't you ever think before you act?" Sakura said.

"And I've told you before to stop acting like you're my mother." Shizuka spat.

"Maybe if you acting more like your mom, I wouldn't have to say anything to you." Sakura snarled.

"You want me to punch you in the face?" Shizuka asked. Sakura just glared at her before the two turned their noses up. The teen chuckled at the two and faced the group.

"Say, how about I help you guys out?" he asked.

"First of all, who are you?" Shikamaru asked.

"Oh, my name is Yakushi Kabuto. It's very nice to meet you."

_**XXXXX**_

_**Authors' Notes:**_ New chapter people, sorry that it's late. Anyway, I hope that you like the chapter. The relationship between brother and sister is changing but at a slow pace. I don't just what them to just start hugging immediately. I feel that's where a lot of stories go wrong. Anyway, the Chūnin Exams are next and I hope you enjoy it. Later.

_**Glossary**_

_**Suimen Hokō no Gyō**_ – Water Surface Walking Practice

_**Oiroke no Jutsu**_ – Sexy Technique


	20. Chapter 19

**_Chapter 19_**

Sasuke looked at the teenager who had just introduced himself. He had onyx eyes and ash-grey hair, which was kept in a ponytail. He wore a dark purple shirt with a high collar, a white under-shirt, dark purple fingerless gloves with armored plates on the back of the hand, a white cloth waistband worn at an angle, dark purple pants, blue sandals, and a shuriken holster on his right leg. His appearance ended with a pair of black rimmed circular glasses. He gave the group a small smile as he pulled out a pack of cards.

"What are those?" asked Sakura.

"They are Ninshiki Kādo. In my seven attempts in these exams, I have collected a lot of information on the competition." Kabuto said.

"Seven attempts? Are these exams really that hard?" Sakura asked.

"What are you trying to do? Are you trying to scare us because you don't want us in the exam?" Shizuka accused.

"Nothing like that. I just want you guys to be prepared." Kabuto said. He pulled out a card and channeled some of his chakra into the card. Everyone watched as Shizuka's picture and stats appeared on the card. Everyone was shocked by the information that was on it. Shizuka got pissed and grabbed Kabuto by the collar.

"Where the hell did you get that information?!" Shizuka growled.

"I know I guy inside the Hokage tower. He just gave me the info for something. I'm sorry if I did something wrong." Kabuto said with his hands up. Sakura and Chōji were able to get Shizuka off Kabuto but Sasuke kept his eyes on the teen. He was even more wary of this person. There should have been no way for a genin to get such detailed information on any of them. They were first timers and not as famous. Sasuke caught his attention and Kabuto looked at him.

"What can you tell me about the red-haired kid and the guy with the Byakugan?" Sasuke asked. Kabuto nodded at him and pulled out the two cards.

"Okay, the first card is Hyūga Neji. He is fourteen and a genin. He is on Team Gai with Rock Lee and Tenten. He was last year's 'Rookie of the Year' and is known as the Hyūga prodigy. He has been fifteen D-rank missions, four C-rank missions, one B-rank mission and one A-rank mission. Said to be very skilled in the Jūken and is a member of the branch house of the Hyūga clan. The second card is Sabaku no Gaara. He is thirteen and a genin from Sunagakure no Sato. He is on Team Baki with his siblings, Sabaku no Temari and Sabaku no Kankuro. I don't have much information on him. All I can tell you is that he has done five C-ranks, three B-ranks and three A-ranks. Wow, he has never been injured on any of these missions." Kabuto informed.

This surprised the rookies and they turned to face the red-head genin. He was looking at them with some dangerous eyes.

"T-That's impossible. No one cannot be injured during an A-rank mission, there's just no way." Sakura said with shock. Even Shizuka looked intimidated.

"Yeah, there are some really strong ninja here. Well, I wouldn't worry too much about that team from Otogakure. They are a new village so they wouldn't have any strong ninja." Kabuto said with a dismissive wave. The three Oto genin that were listening took offense to the comment made by the older teen. They decided to do something about it. The moved quickly through the crowd and made their way toward Kabuto. They were seen by several people including Sasuke and Shizuka. When they were close enough, the boy and girl of the team fired some shuriken at Kabuto. The teen easily deflected the shuriken without pause. The mummy kid appeared and threw a punch at Kabuto, who dodged the attacked. Kabuto smirked until his glasses cracked and he dropped to the ground, throwing up. The others appeared around him to see if he was okay. The three Oto genin looked at him with a sneer.

"Put this down on those cards of yours. Otogakure is going to rule these exams." The mummy ninja said.

"That's quite confident of you." The teen's visible eye widen when he felt a kunai on his back. He turned slightly to stare into the eyes of the Sharingan. A shiver went down his back as the Uchiha dōjutsu bore into him. It was as if it was searching inside his mind. "I understand that you were insulted by his words. It was a stupid thing to say. However, you are in Konoha and you will know your place." Sasuke said with a grave voice. The Oto team gulped at the feeling that they were getting from the last Uchiha. That's when and explosion caught everyone's attention. When the smoke cleared, a group of men appeared at the front of the class. They were led by a large, imposing figure wearing the same grey uniform as the others only it was covered with a black trench coat.

"That's enough! The first stage of the Chūnin Exams is about to begin!" he shouted.

**_XXX_**

Naruto stood in front of the Sandaime. The old man was in deep thought after Naruto explained his worries. He was very surprised that he never knew about this request by the Yondaime Kazekage. He would have never approved of such an act. What Naruto just told him had raised red flags as well. Why would the Kazekage send his youngest son if he wanted him dead?

"I understand your concern Naruto but I can't just launch an investigation without suspicion." Hiruzen said.

"I know that, which is why I'm asking for two ninja to come with me and check out what's going on in Kaze no Kuni. I have at least one contact that can give me something." Naruto said. Hiruzen rubbed his chin and thought about what Naruto said. He was a little concerned that the Kazekage sent his youngest to compete, especially since that the boy was as unstable as Naruto reported. He knew that any village with a jinchūriki would not needlessly send them without reason. He needed to get to the bottom of this.

"Very well, I will allow it. You can choose two shinobi to go with you. You are to find out what is going on in Suna and report back your findings. So who are you going to choose?"

**_XXX_**

Naruto stood with Zaji and Hana, who was without her dogs. Naruto had stressed that this was a covert mission and that the Haimaru Sankyōdai would be a dead giveaway. While Zaji was happy to be together with his old teammates, Hana looked uncomfortable and a little angry being next to Naruto. The blond just sighed and ignored the issue for now.

"Okay, our mission is simple. We are to go into Kaze no Kuni and meet with my contact. Depending on the information we get from them, we will briefly check out Sunagakure and find out what is going on." Naruto said.

"Is something the matter with Suna?" Zaji asked.

"I'll explain on the way. Are we ready to move out?" Naruto asked. Hana just walked pass him, her nose up in the air. Naruto sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Zaji just smirked at him, patting him on the back.

"Just like old times huh?" Zaji joked.

"Don't start with me." Naruto said. The two friends made their way to catch up with Hana.

**_XXX_**

Since it would take three days to reach Kaze no Kuni, the group rested for the night. They were sitting around a fire in complete silence. Hana was busy with her nails while Naruto stared at the fire. Zaji was busy eating some jerky he had stored but seem to waiting for something. After a few more minutes of complete silence, Naruto finally had enough.

"What else do I have to say? I apologized already." Naruto said, looking at Hana. The young Inuzuka woman looked at Naruto.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hana said.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about. I know that you don't like it when Anko does what she does," Naruto stated but was cut off by Hana.

"Oh, you mean when she molests you in public and you do nothing to stop her." Hana said with a tone.

"You make it sound like I invite her to do that to me. Anko has been a family friend since I was a kid. Sure, she has hugged me suggestively," Naruto tried to explain but was cut off once again.

"Suggestively?! She smashed you bowling ball size head into her breasts! That's more than suggestively! And she hasn't stopped since then! She's always touching you, groping you and licking you like it's nothing and I don't understand why you just don't tell her to stop! You just try to get free and tell her to 'let me go'. Maybe you like the way that she acts with you." Hana said with an air of arrogance.

"Do you realize that you sound like a jealous girlfriend right now?" Naruto asked hauntingly.

"Please, what do I have to be jealous of? I don't need to flaunt it to everyone." Hana said with a snort.

"Really? So the tight shorts and the fact that you have your flak vest unzip just enough so that everyone could see your cleavage isn't just for show?" Naruto argued.

"It's for combat mobility!" Hana shouted.

"Bullshit!" Naruto shouted back. Zaji just ate his jerky and watched as they went back in forth at each other. It was just so amusing how much the two were so alike. While Hana was more feminine than many of her clanswomen, she still had the Inuzuka feral demeanor. While Naruto was just as calm as his father, he still had the temperamental attitude of his mother. It was just so fun to watch them go at it. Even Rin-sensei loved to watch there arguments.

However, it looked like that it was going to end and Zaji couldn't allow that to happen. It was time for him to get involved. It was just something he did when they fought. He had to say something, just a little jab, a little poke, to help fuel the fire and take this to the next level. Zaji got up and made his way over to the two.

"Alright, alright, you guys just cool it." Zaji said, getting both of their attention. Zaji then turned to Naruto. "I know what you're saying about the jealous girlfriend thing bro." He got a surprised look from Hana and a grateful one from Naruto. "Tell this twat to mind her own business, now." Zaji stepped back and watched the fireworks.

"See, see, even Zaji is on my side! You aren't my wife or keeper so this doesn't concern you!" Naruto shouted.

"Oh, you're going to listen to Zaji?! The village's worst horn-dog since Jiraiya! What the hell does he know?!" Hana shouted.

"He knows that you're acting like child!" Naruto spat.

"Screw you Uzumaki!" Hana roared. Zaji just ate his jerky as the two teenagers continued their argument. It was just too damn easy.

**_XXX_**

Sasuke, Shizuka and Sakura just couldn't believe the amount of trouble that they had just stumbled into. It had been a day since the first stage, which they all passed without problems. They second part of the exam was explained by Anko. Shizuka was especially careful around her as Anko did not hold back when she mouthed off. It was why Anko would be called to babysit her if Naruto was out. The second stage would be in a training ground called the Shi no Mori. They would be in the forest for five days, trying to get two scrolls to the tower which was in the middle of the forest.

It started out with them just wondering around. Shizuka had to take a break and vanished. She returned later but it was not her. Sasuke and Sakura attacked the fake and defeated him with ease. They checked him for a scroll but they didn't find it. Shizuka arrived with another member of that team who did not have the scroll. They tied the two up and threw them into a nearby river. They created a password so that they couldn't get tricked. They searched for another day went they were hit by a Fūton. Lucky for them, Shizuka was able to keep them together using the Kyūbi's chakra. They gathered themselves when a Kusa kunoichi appeared.

She was impressed with the group and wanted to test them. Shizuka was all for a rumble until the kunoichi unleashed a terrible killing intent. It froze all three members of team Kakashi. The female smirked at the three and licked her lips.

"So, shall we begin?"

**_XXXXX_**

**_Authors' Notes_**: So I hope you like that little comedy with Naruto, Zaji and Hana. I'm adding a disclaimer here because that scene was not an original idea. Look up Dane Cook and _Nothing Fights_ on YouTube. So I don't take credit for that scene, it belongs to Dane Cook. Anyway, enjoy the chapter.

**_Glossary_**

**_Ninshiki Kādo_** – Ninja Info Cards

**_Yondaime Kazekage_** – Fourth Wind Shadow

**_Kaze no Kuni_** – Land of Wind

**_Haimaru Sankyōdai_** - Haimaru Littermate Trio


	21. Chapter 20

**_Chapter 20_**

The three frozen teens just looked at the person with fear. The killer intent washed over them in waves. They could see the different ways that they would die and it wasn't pretty. They needed to get out of here and fast. Shizuka was the first to act and tapped into the Kyūbi chakra. Its killing intent was a little great than their opponents and it freed the group. Sasuke grabbed Sakura and they took off. They ran fast and hard, not looking back.

"W-What the hell was t-that?" Sakura asked with a shaky breath.

"That's killing intent and it was a strong one! Nobody should have such intent! I don't think we're dealing with a genin!" Shizuka exclaimed. She looked back and her eyes widen. "Definitely not a genin!" Her two teammates turned back and were shocked to see the kunoichi riding a huge snake.

"Scatter!" Sasuke shouted. All three jumped away in different directions. The female turned her snake to Sasuke. The boy snarled and activated his eyes. This seems to make the woman smile, which he saw. Well, if she wanted to see his dōjutsu in action, why not give her a demonstration?

"Genjutsu: Sharingan!" Sasuke shouted. The woman suddenly froze and looked at her body. It was pierced with several kunai in all of her joints. Sakura threw several kunai, which Sasuke countered with some shuriken. They hit, releasing small paper tags and cherry blossoms. Sakura then threw one more kunai, this with a single explosive note.

"Sakura Fubuki no Jutsu!" Sakura shouted. The explosive note lit and entered the field of cherry blossoms and explosive tags. A huge explosion rocked the area and destroyed several branches. The snake hissed as it was burned due to the technique. It turned to attack Sakura but Shizuka would not allow it. She sucked in a lot of air while doing some hand seals.

"Fūton: Shinkū Renpa!" Shizuka shouted and blew out several large blades of wind at the snake. The attack shredded the snake's head. It fell to the ground below, dead. Shizuka just smirked as she descended. "Take that you stupid reptile!"

"Impressive." A voice said. Shizuka turned her head to see the kunoichi from Kusa. She was shocked beyond belief and was hit with a back fist. Sakura moved to capture Shizuka and used a rope to swing to another branch. The woman landed on the tree and looked to attack when Sasuke appeared.

"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!" Sasuke called out and spat several fireballs at her. She did some seals as well.

"Fūton: Daitoppa!" she called out. The strong wind blew out the fireballs and knocked the shuriken away. Sasuke cursed and did another set of hand seals.

"Suiton: Teppōdama!" Sasuke shouted and fired a ball of water. The woman moved just as the ball of water ripped piece of the tree off. Sasuke landed and fired two more Teppōdama. The woman jumped out of the way and countered with some shuriken. They were deflected by Sakura and Shizuka appeared behind the woman and attacked with a kunai. They landed on another branch and Shizuka engaged the woman using her kunai. Sasuke would join and help her. The woman either blocked or parried their attacks. Sasuke managed to sweep one of her legs and Shizuka planted both feet into her chest. The woman staggered, which gave Sakura the perfect opportunity to land a crushing blow on her jaw. The punch sent the man sailing into another tree.

Shizuka looked at Sakura with some surprise.

"I didn't know that you can hit someone like that. I guess that you aren't so worthless after all." Shizuka said.

"Shut it Shizuka!" Sakura shouted.

"Stop it! This isn't over!" Sasuke spat. They watched as the woman stood up.

"Damn it! Who the hell is this bitch?" Shizuka said.

"Whoever they are, we need to take them out and fast. We have to use that move." Sasuke said.

"How? She too fast Sasuke-kun." Sakura said.

"Don't worry, I have that covered. Just be ready when the time comes." Sasuke said. The woman smirked and launched herself at the team. She crashed into the branch, scattering them. She attacked Sasuke who was having a hard time defending. Shizuka manage to kick the woman in the back of the head. She tried to continue but was thrown away. Sasuke kicked the woman in the gut and looked at her with the Sharingan. It spun for a quick burst before he looked at his teammates.

"Sakura, Shizuka," he called out. Sakura unleashed a barrage of kunai and shuriken at the woman. She dodged the projectiles, moving like a snake. Shizuka followed her movements and took a breath.

"Fūton: Shinkūgyoku!" Shizuka called out and fired several balls of air. This forced the woman to dodge as air bullets punched through the branch. She disappeared from view and reappeared away from the attack. When she tried to move, she found that she couldn't. Looking down at her feet, she saw a substance that her feet were sticking to. Seeing this, Sakura wasted no time. She used her genjutsu to freeze the woman. Sasuke and Shizuka quickly did hand seals.

"Fūton: Shinkūha!" Shizuka roared.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" Sasuke shouted.

"**_Guren Bakuenjin!_**" They all shouted. The woman's eyes went wide as she was consumed by the twister of fire and slicing wind. They all jumped away as the tree was reduced to splitters and ash. They all listened to the screams of the woman. When it was over, the burnt, cut up body of the Kusa kunoichi laid dead. Team Kakashi released a deep breath and took a rest.

"That was intense." Shizuka said tiredly.

"I can't believe that we did it. I don't know who that person was and I don't want to know. I'm just glad that she won't be coming after us anymore." Sakura said a little nervous. This would be her second kill that she was a part of and she still wasn't use to it.

"Whatever the reason, it isn't our problem anymore. Let's get going. This battle probably attracted others." Sasuke said. They nodded and were getting ready to leave. That's when something attacked Sasuke. It struck like lightning and bit down on Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke roared in pain and his teammates turned to see a head. It released Sasuke and returned to wherever it came from. The two girls turned to see that it came from the dead body. From out of the body, a man appeared covered in slime. He stood straight before turning his attention back to the team.

Sakura was fussing over Sasuke while Shizuka looked at the man in surprise and fear. Sakura saw this and was confused.

"Do you know this guy?" Sakura asked.

"It's… It's… Orochimaru." Shizuka said with shock. Sakura was shocked as well. Everyone in the academy had learned of the Konoha traitor. What the hell was he doing here?

"It's good that you have learned about me. I am impressed with your skills, especially Sasuke's. Now his true test begins." Orochimaru said.

"What… What have you done to him?" Sakura asked.

"I've given him the power he desires. He will come to seek me out one day and I will give him the means to gain his ultimate desire. Until then, do keep an eye out for him. There are so many predators out in this forest besides myself." Orochimaru said. He then faded from view and was gone. Shizuka kept alert, not really trusting that he was gone. Her attention was taken away when Sakura grabbed her hand. She pointed to something on Sasuke's shoulder. Shizuka got a good look and gulped. It was a juinjutsu.

**_XXX_**

It took two days to reach the capitol of Kaze no Kuni. It was here that Naruto would meet his contact. Naruto led the two through the streets until they reached a ramen restaurant. Hana and Zaji looked at Naruto like he was stupid.

"Did you forget that we are on a mission? We don't have time for you to satisfy your ramen addiction." Hana said mockingly.

"This coming from a girl who acts like a regal woman until someone places a plate of ribs in front of her." Naruto returned. Hana was red in the face from the jab and Zaji just chuckle. It earned him an elbow from the teenage woman who blamed him for that dust up a day ago. She just pushed her way into the ramen restaurant, the two males following. When Naruto entered, the woman behind the counter instantly recognized him.

"Naruto, how have you been?" the woman greeted. They watched as a very short person appeared from the bar. She ran up to Naruto and hugged him. He smiled and returned the hug.

"This is your contact? This 'chibi'?" Hana asked in shock. The mood of the restaurant just suddenly got cold and people looked at Hana like she was crazy. The short woman looked at Hana before giving her a very cute smile. Hana didn't really like that smile and gulped.

**_XXX_**

The eldest daughter of Tsume could believe the embarrassment that she was forced to do. Dressed in a revealing maid's outfit, she served the patrons their food. This was her punishment for insulting the very small owner of the establishment. Naruto had tried to stop it because he did not inform his team to not insult Chīsai. He had learned that the hard way himself and had to wear that same outfit. Zaji was busting a gut and didn't hide his amusement at Hana's predicament.

Naruto turned his attention to Chīsai. The thirty year old woman gave him her attention.

"So what brings you to my neck of the woods?" she asked him.

"Ramen of course!" he said happily. She smiled and slid him a bowl. He dug in with gusto. After a few minutes, Naruto gave her a serious look. "I need to know what the situation is in Sunagakure."

"That'll cost you more than one bowl. I'm thinking five bowls and a platter." Chīsai said. Naruto smiled and handed her an envelope. She checked inside and gave it to one of her workers. "I don't know much but I know that the Wind daimyō is not happy. He has been sending summons to the Yondaime Kazekage and he been ignoring them. There is also some rumor going around that two of the daimyō's men were killed in the desert. He's been demanding an update about that for a good while and hasn't gotten an answer for it."

"What can you tell me about Sabaku no Gaara?" Naruto asked.

"That psycho? What do you want to know about that child?" Chīsai asked with surprise.

"He's participating in the Chūnin Exams in Konoha." Naruto answered.

"Then you better have a good supply of body bags. That boy is the devil incarnate. His father just allows him to do and kill anyone at will. It's one of the reasons that the Wind daimyō will not contract the village for missions. It is due to that boy's reputation. He is a walking breathing killing machine and once he sets his sights on a target, you better believe that he will kill them." Chīsai explained. That worried Naruto a great deal and he needed to get some more information.

"Thanks Chīsai, let me get some ramen." Naruto said happily. She did just that and served Zaji as well. Hana had to bare a little more humiliation for just a while louder.

**_XXX_**

In a hotel, team Rin sat around at the table. Hana wanted this to be over as she didn't want to be near either one of her teammates at the moment. She didn't accept Naruto's apology and she would glare murder at Zaji if he laughed. Naruto ignored it for now and faced her teammates.

"It looks like we'll be here for a little while longer. From the information I got, something is going on. I got permission from the daimyō's aid to investigate the missing samurai that Suna was supposed to do. The area where they lost contact was about ten miles north. We'll leave in the morning after we gather some supplies. Any questions?" Naruto asked.

"Nope, let's get some rest and get ready." Zaji said. Hana said nothing and made her way to her room. Naruto spoke to when she was half way there.

"If it makes you feel any better, the outfit looks a lot better on you than me." Naruto said. Hana stopped and gave him a look. She turned her nose up at him and continued to her room. Both males noticed a little sway in her hip as she entered her room and slammed the door. Behind the door, Hana couldn't help but smile at the compliment that she was given. She decided to forgive the two tomorrow morning and get on with the mission.

**_XXX_**

Sakura placed a wet rag on Sasuke's head and watched over him. Shizuka kept an eye out for any enemies that might try to attack them. She turned away and looked at Sakura.

"How is he?" she asked.

"He's still not doing well. He has a high fever and his chakra is out of control." Sakura answered.

"It think that what's happens when a juinjutsu is placed on the person. Mom and Naruto explained it to me before." Shizuka said.

"Can't you do something about it though? You're an Uzumaki right?" Sakura asked.

"For the last damn time I can't okay! I focused my area on battle, not support!" Shizuka spat. Sakura reeled back a little and Shizuka just scoffed. "Look, if we can get another scroll, we can get him to the tower. I bet by now, the Hokage knows about Orochimaru's presence and has called my mom. So just relax and get some sleep. I'll take first watch." Sakura nodded and tried to get comfortable. Shizuka just kept watch but her mind was miles away.

She had learned more about Orochimaru than what the academy taught. She knew that the man was once a member of Danzō's 'Ne'. He was one of his top agents before he betrayed Konoha. She also knew why they were targeted. If Sasuke survived and tapped into the power of the juinjutsu that he was given, she would have to actually have to be careful. With the power the juin gave, he might enjoy it and seek out for more. She knew that his goal in life was to kill Itachi. If he did enjoy that power, she might have to take him out.

Like Danzō had drilled into her, all threats to the village must be eliminated.

**_XXXXX_**

**_Authors' Notes_**: Hello everyone. I would just like to let everyone know that I will be type up my chapters during the weekends from now on. I feel that is better since I don't have to worry about thinks during those two days. I'm also able to write a lot more easily during that time. Anyway, here is the new chapter of this story.

I really like this chapter. I got to showcase the improved teamwork of the team since Naruto's and Shizuka's spat. Yes, she is still friend of Danzō but that will change as the story continues. I used a lot of techniques in this one and I hope that you enjoyed the fight.

**_Glossary_**

**_Sakura Fubuki no Jutsu_** - Cherry Blossom Blizzard Technique

**_Fūton: Shinkū Renpa_** - Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves

**_Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu_** - Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique

**_Fūton: Daitoppa_** - Wind Release: Great Breakthrough

**_Suiton: Teppōdama_** - Water Release: Gunshot

**_Fūton: Shinkūgyoku_** - Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere

**_Fūton: Shinkūha_** - Wind Release: Vacuum Wave

**_Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu_** - Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique

**_Guren Bakuenjin_** - Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade


	22. Chapter 21

_**Chapter 21**_

It was now morning and Sakura, a well-rested Sakura, kept her eyes out for enemies. That's when she noticed movement from the top of the trees. She made a move to wake her teammate but she didn't have to. Shizuka was up and she had her hand over her mouth. She made a silence sign to her and Sakura nodded.

"They have been here since nightfall. They've decided to act now, thinking that we are easy pickings. I want you to use that genjutsu to hide and get to high ground. You're my support. Don't hold back and aim through." Shizuka said. Sakura nodded and did some hand seals. Shizuka watched as Sakura vanished like mist. Shizuka reached inside her pouch and pulled out a tanto she received from Danzō. She checked it and nodded. She strapped it to her belt just as the team shouted.

"Hey, we know that you're in there! Get you asses out here!" one of them shouted. Shizuka didn't waste her time and stepped out of the hollow tree. She glared at the three of them and placed her hand on her weapon.

"What the hell do you guys want?" she demanded. The girl sucked her teeth at her and the loud one growled at her tone. They were about to say something but were stopped by the boy with the gauntlet. He then faced her.

"Wake up Sasuke Uchiha. We have business with him." He ordered.

"Sorry, he can't come out right now. Any business you have with him, you'll have to take up with me." Shizuka said.

"Listen bitch, I don't care if you're the Yondaime's daughter!" the loud boy shouted. "You and that useless pinked haired girl are out-numbered and out-matched! Do yourself a favor and just do as we asked! If you do, your death with be quick and painless!"

"You are under the impression that you can dictate to me. That will be your first and last mistake." Shizuka said and channeled the power of the Kyūbi. The three readied themselves as they could feel the bloodlust coming off her. The loud one raised her hand to fire something but he was cut off when a kunai struck him in the arm. Shizuka moved and blasted him with a powerful punch that sent him flying into a tree.

"Zaku!" the girl screamed. It only got louder when a shuriken hit her in the leg. She snarled as she pulled it out and used it to block another projectile. "It must be the other one!"

"I can see that!" the boy with the gauntlet shouted. He was busy fending off Shizuka who was more skill than he assumed. He tried to use the gauntlet on her but she jumped out of the way and fired a jutsu at him. He cursed at that fact because it meant that Shizuka knew what his arm did. He could see it in that smug smile of hers. Shizuka then looked to her left and jumped in the air to avoid a blast of compressed air. She hung upside down and turned to see Zaku step out. He was breathing hard and glaring at her. She just smirked at him.

"Really? Only one punch and you're in that state? Where was all that big talk from before?" Shizuka mocked. Zaku looked enraged and aimed his hands at her. Shizuka could see the small dots on his palm and saw air being sucked.

"Zankūha!" he roared and fired a blast of air at her. She quickly vanished and appeared on the ground. She already had her hands in a seal.

"Fūton: Shinkū Taigyoku!" Shizuka shouted and fired a large ball of compressed air at Zaku. The boy countered quickly but her attack was much stronger. Zaku was sent flying back, out of the fight but still alive. "That's how a wind attack should be."

"Damn you!" a voice shouted from behind. She turned to see the bandaged kid prepared to end her. That's when he suddenly froze up. Because he couldn't move, he was easy pickings for a descending Sakura. Shizuka jumped back as a cloud of dust was kicked up. When it cleared, the boy was knocked out and Sakura was rubbing her fist.

"Like I said, at least you're useful when it comes to muscle." Shizuka said.

"Shut up! It's hard trying to duplicate Tsunade-sama's technique!" Sakura shouted. That surprised Shizuka and Sakura quickly covered her mouth.

"Dosu! Zaku!" the girl called out. That caught the other two's attention. She was littered with wounds thanks to Sakura's attacks. She was defeated and could not move anymore. The two girls looked at her and she gulped at what could happen to her. They had clearly underestimated the two and paid for it. That's when a feeling of dread fell upon them. They all turned to see that Sasuke was awake and he was admitting a very evil aura. Shizuka saw that tattoos coming from his neck and cursed. Kin looked very afraid and Sakura looked worried. Sasuke looked at them with his Sharingan active. Shizuka put Sakura behind her and grabbed the handle of her tanto. Sakura was now really worried because it looked like that Shizuka was about to fight Sasuke. That's when something weird happened.

Shizuka watched with surprise as Sasuke was struggling to contain the curse mark. She could see that he was actually fighting the influence of the seal. She eased her intent to attack, easing Sakura's worry. Sasuke dropped to his knees and continued to fight the feeling that he was getting. It was powerful, very powerful. It was the type of power that he could use in his quest against his brother. However, it felt wrong to him. It didn't feel right. He fought it but it tried to fight back. He was starting to tire and he could feel his dark desires demand he use its power. He looked up at her teammates.

"Knock… me… out. Do… it. I… can't… hold… out…" Sasuke spoke. Shizuka wasted no time and appeared before him. Using the handle of her tanto, she knocked him out. Sasuke fell to the ground and laid there. She watched as the markings receded into the mark. She let out a sigh of relief and looked at the boy. She just couldn't believe what she witnessed. She couldn't really help but be impressed with Sasuke's will. She thought for sure that he would be glad for its power due to his ambition. Why would he fight it if it gave him what he wanted?

She turned to look at Sakura. The pink haired gave her a look that she demanded answers. She just sighed and made her way to deal with everything around her.

_**XXX**_

Naruto, Hana and Zaji were on camels as they made their way to the area where those samurai went. It wasn't too far and they made good time. Dressed in clothes of Kaze no Kuni, they blended in with the sand. After another hour, they reached the area. They got off their camels and began their mission. Hana began to sniff the air and looked around. The two males waited for her to find a scent. She caught something and started to lead the group through the sand. She followed the scent for a while until they came upon a rock formation. It looked like a city of stone with various holes for entry ways. Hana made her way there and they entered the cave.

"The scent is stronger. It's also really bad." She said while wrinkling her nose.

"Yeah, you don't need to tell us." Zaji said. Naruto said nothing and covered his nose. The others followed his lead and followed the scent. They did not need to go far as the found the decomposing bodies of the daimyō men. Naruto looked at Hana who nodded and made her way over to the two bodies. While a veterinarian, Hana did study human anatomy. She sometimes did autopsies for the hospital. She ignored the smell and looked over the bodies.

"Well, I can tell you this. They suffered greatly. By the look of it, they were crushed by something." Hana reported.

"Crushed? What the hell can crush a human?" Zaji asked.

"If I had to assume, my guess is that it would be Gaara. From what little information that I have on him, he uses his sand to crush his opponents. I feel that these men were supposed to report to the Wind daimyō about the Kazekage and Sunagakure. He must have sent Gaara to kill them before they could reach him." Naruto said.

"But why? What does the Kazekage have to hide?" Zaji asked. Naruto shrugged and Hana continued the autopsy. That's when Zaji was suddenly alert. Seeing this, Naruto tapped Hana. They quickly got against the wall and hid. Naruto looked and saw three Suna ninja enter. He could see that they were armed. Naruto made a signal to his teammates and they waited. The Suna ninja came into view and made their way to check on their supplies. That's when the team struck. Naruto caught the middle on in a chokehold while Hana tackle the one on the right. Zaji hit the one on the left with a knife hand strike to the throat. He then grabbed his head and slammed his knee into his head, knocking him out. Hana knocked on the one she tackled and the last one was out cold due to lack of air.

The group quickly packed up their stuff and sealed the bodies of the dead daimyō men. They quickly exited the cave, Zaji placing a trap for when the Suna ninja woke up. Naruto cursed as their camels were gone. He looked at the two and they began to run back to the capitol. They had to get there before reinforcements came.

_**XXX**_

Shizuka and Sakura entered the tower. They had to move slowly because they were carrying Sasuke who was still out cold. Shizuka quickly tied up the Oto genin and took their scroll. It was an 'earth' scroll. With their 'heaven', they could enter the tower. It took them until sunset to reach the tower due to carrying Sasuke. Lucky for them, they did not run into any resistance. Once they entered, they saw a poster with some words on it. While they were confused, they opened the scrolls at the same time. Seeing smoke, they threw the scrolls away and a small explosion occurred. When the smoke cleared, they were surprised to see Kushina.

"Congratulations you guys, you did well to reach here by the second day." Kushina said with a small smile.

"Mom," Shizuka said.

"I know. Anko came in last night after she fought with Orochimaru. We figured out why he was here and I'm here to help. Where's Sasuke?" Kushina asked. The two girls moved out of the way to show an out cold Sasuke.

"He fought the juinjutsu. I saw it myself." Shizuka said. Kushina was very surprised by that and looked at Sasuke with amazement. She wondered how he did it. That would have to wait though as she had a juinjutsu to deal with. Kushina made a motion for the girls to follow her and they did. That's when Shizuka noticed something. "Where's Naruto?"

"He's out on a mission right now. Don't worry Shizuka; I have dealt with Orochimaru's juinjutsu before. He made a critical error in thinking that I can't stop it." Kushina said. The two girls nodded and followed her.

_**XXX**_

The team neared the capitol. They had run pretty far and escaped any type of chase. They heard an explosion but they were long away by the time. As they made their way toward the entrance, Zaji quickly pulled his two friends away as they were nearly skewered them. They stopped and surrounded by a team of Suna ninja. They stood back to back and faced the group that was surrounding them. Naruto looked at each one and was thinking of ways to escape.

"There's no escape for you Konoha ninja. Just give up and surrender." One of them said.

"I don't think so. You seem to forget that we are not too far from the capitol. Are you really willing to start a fight here and alert them? We were given a mission to find the bodies of his men and you are stopping us from completing that mission. I will ask you to step out of the way." Naruto said.

"That's not going to happen. You are to come with us to Suna." Another ninja said.

"Well, what are our options here?" Zaji said while holding a kunai. Naruto was thinking but he couldn't think of anything to do but to fight his way out of this.

"Hana," he whispered and pulled out a small scroll. Hana took the scroll and gave Naruto a look. "When I make a move, use your blood to unlock the scroll. You friends will be at your side in an instant." Hana nodded and placed the scroll behind her. As it looked like that a fight was about to happen, Zaji felt a very strong chakra coming. It appeared before them and the three knew that they were in trouble. It was none other than the Yondaime Kazekage. Seeing him here worried the group.

"Well, I didn't expect you. What are you doing here Naruto Namikaze?" the Kazekage asked.

"We had a mission to find those bodies in the dessert. We were on our way to tell the daimyō of our success when we were blocked. I would kindly ask you to tell your men to back off." Naruto said.

"So you found them? That is troublesome. I'm afraid that I cannot allow you to meet the daimyō. I'm going to ask you to surrender. I know about your skills and I will admit that you are just as dangerous as your father but you do not possess the jutsu that made him a legend. You might cut me down as well as some of my men but you and your team will die." He said with an edge. Naruto knew that the man was right. He looked at Zaji and he looked at Hana. They nodded and the three relaxed. They disarmed themselves and raised their hands. They were now prisoners of Suna.

_**XXXXX**_

_**Authors' Notes**_: I have seen what people are talking about and I have changed it. The real chapter 18 is up and you can check it out.


	23. Chapter 22

_**Chapter 22**_

Sasuke groaned and opened his eyes. He noticed that he was no longer in the forest. This place looked like a medical bay. Shizuka and Sakura must have brought him here. He struggled to sit up when a hand stopped him for rising. He looked to see a smiling Kushina.

"Don't, your body isn't ready to move around yet." Kushina said. Sasuke nodded and laid back down on the bed.

"How long have I been out?" Sasuke asked.

"You've been asleep for hours. It is now the afternoon of the third day. You and your team went through quite an ordeal Sasuke." A new voice said. Sasuke turned to see the Sandaime Hokage. He was flanked by Kakashi. "How are you feeling?"

"Horrible and in pain. My shoulder kind of hurts the most. It's that spot where I was bitten." Sasuke said.

"Yes, my wayward student was also someone who liked to inflict pain for his amusement." Hiruzen said.

"What did he do to me? I can remember waking up and feeling this power but it felt wrong. I fought it but I was out of energy due to my early fight." Sasuke asked.

"Orochimaru placed a juinjutsu on you. I don't know how he created it but he places these on people he deems worthy. Mitarashi Anko is another victim of this jutsu. From what I have been able to figure out, it gives Orochimaru control of the victim, mentally and physically. It does give out great power but you are basically a slave of his." Kushina explained.

"So it was probably his influence that I was fighting?" Sasuke asked and Kushina nodded. "Is there a way to get rid of it?"

"I can only cut off Orochimaru's control and seal the mark. I have not found a way to completely remove it. Something tells me that this juinjutsu goes more farther than just seals. Until I know more, I can't remove it." Kushina said.

"Well, as long as it is sealed. I don't wish to be that man's puppet." Sasuke said.

"Sasuke, I'm proud of you. Shizuka told me how you fought the allure of the juinjutsu." Kakashi said with an eye smile.

"Well, I'm getting strong with Naruto-sensei's help. I feel strong without taking any shortcuts. I can't really explain it." Sasuke said. Hiruzen just smiled at him. Naruto had been a good influence on the boy. He was still pretty concerned when Naruto decided to tell Sasuke the truth but the concern was decreasing. It would be a true test of Sasuke's character when that day came. He decided to leave and make his way to his office in the tower. He had some things to think about.

_**XXX**_

Naruto was sitting alone in a room that he assumed was an interrogation room. He waited calmly for his capturers to come for him. He wondered if Zaji and Hana were alright. They were separated when they entered the village of Sunagakure. He just kept calm and waited. He did not have to wait long as the door was opened and in entered the Yondaime Kazekage. The door was closed behind him and the man faced Naruto.

"I have to say, this is a boon on my part. Capturing you may work in my favor." He said.

"Why is that? Do you really believe that you keeping me here will help your invasion plans run smoothly?" Naruto asked. The man looked at him with surprise and Naruto smirked a little, making the man snarled.

"A good guess boy but with you here, I don't have to worry about loss of life." He said.

"You're going to lose a lot of men Akiyama. You think I don't know why you are doing this? If there is anyone to blame for Suna's situation it is you." Naruto said. He was suddenly lifted by his clothes and was eye-to-eye with Akiyama.

"Do not speak to me like you know anything!" he roared. "It is your village's fault for our troubles! You take business away from us, making us look weak!"

"You lost those missions due to the fact that the wind daimyō don't trust you. You turned your own son into an unstable weapon with no sense of remorse. I know that a Kage has to make the tough decisions for the sake of the village but all of your decisions have ended in failure and you choose not to see that. Just like this decision you are planning to make. I know that you did not come up with this plan. Who are you joining forces with?" Naruto demanded. He was thrown back into the seat that was in the room.

"You are in no position to be making demands. I will leave you here for the time being. I have a more pressing engagement to deal with. When I return, I will deal with you and your friends." Akiyama said and left the room. Naruto let out a sigh and relaxed. He berated himself for angering Akiyama. He focused his energy in getting out of here. He knew that it wouldn't be long before Akiyama killed him and his team. He only hoped that the other two were okay.

_**XXX**_

Hana and Zaji were in a cell. Zaji was pacing while Hana sat on the ground. Both were pretty calm for being captured.

"So, what do you think they are doing with Naruto?" Zaji asked.

"If I had to guess, they are keeping him away from us so that we don't come up with plans of escape. It's like they think he was the planner of our team." Hana said with a snort.

"Well, he was the planner of the group. Maybe he could have come with a plan." Zaji said.

"Yeah but I have a plan of my own. Get ready to move." Hana said. Zaji looked worried until he watched her place her hand her shorts. He grinned at the show until a pebble hit him in the head. He turned around and Hana continued. She slid her shorts down and began digging for the scroll that she hid up her ass. It was not pleasant but it was the only thing she thought of as they were being searched. Once the scroll was out her bum, she pulled up her shorts and un-rolled it. She bit her thumb to draw some blood and smeared it on the scroll. In a puff of smoke, the Haimaru Sankyōdai appeared.

"How are you doing boys?" Hana asked as she petted her friends. "Okay boys, time to get to work." They nodded and slipped out of the cell. The two listened on as they heard some grunts and yells. After a while, the voices died down. They waited when the Haimaru Sankyōdai returned with the keys. Hana cooed and took the keys. They opened the door and made their way out of the cell. They stuck to the shadows and made their way through the prison. They searched the area for where they could be holding Naruto. Suddenly, Hana's dogs stopped and looked up. Zaji and Hana looked up as well and were surprised.

"Naruto?" they whispered. The blond looked down at them from the air ducts.

"Oh, you guys managed to get out. Well that was a waste of time." Naruto said with a bored tone. His two teammates just sighed as they looked at him.

_**XXX**_

Alarms were sounding in the village. Everyone was hustling to find the escaped prisoners that had killed and crippled their ninja. Three shinobi were moving toward the gates. They were stopped by the gate guards.

"What's going on?" the man asked.

"The prisoners found a way out of the village. We found several more men killed by the Konoha no Hakko Ken." The ninja said.

"That isn't possible. This is the only way inside and out of the village." he said. That's when an explosion rocked everybody. From out of the smoke, three people and three dogs jumped out and landed on the sand. They took off running toward the east.

"Damn it! Well, what are you waiting for? Go after them!" the gate guardian said.

"Sir!" The three said and ran after the group. They continued to run until Suna was out of sight. The head of the trio did a hand seal and the group turned southeast. They pulled off their face masks to reveal team Rin. Naruto turned to his teammates and nodded. They needed to find a good place to hide and fast.

_**XXX**_

Two more days had passed and the second exam had come to an end. Within the five days, a great deal of teams had arrived at the tower. Team Kakashi, team Asuma, team Kurenai, team Gai, Kabuto's team, the Oto team and team Baki were the only teams left. Because there were too much people, a preliminary had to be given. Some were against it but they were the group who came in late. Kabuto had retried, saying that he was still very hurt. He was allowed to leave and the preliminary was about to begin.

Sasuke was feeling much better since getting Orochimaru's juinjutsu sealed. He did a little training just to get the soreness and kinks out of his body. Sakura was very happy that Sasuke was okay much to Sasuke's annoyance. Shizuka seem to have a new respect for Sasuke, which he figured was due to his fighting the juinjutsu. He still felt a lot better and couldn't wait to see who he was going to fight.

A board came down and it began to cycle through some names. Everyone waited to see who was going to be in the first match. When it stopped, the first names were given. It was Akadō Yoroi against Rock Lee.

"Yahoo, my youth prevails!" Lee exclaimed. Everyone left the floor for the match to begin. Everyone paid attention to the two combatants. Gekkō Hayate was the referee and signaled the match to begin. Yoroi rush toward Lee, his hand held out. Lee blocked the grab and lashed out with a series of kicks and punches. Yoroi was surprised by the power and speed of the blows. He continued to try and grab Lee but the boy was too fast and too strong. Sakura was confused by this action.

"Why is he just trying to grab him?" Sakura asked.

"He's like Shino." Shizuka said. Everyone turned toward her. "He has some sort of ability where he steals the chakra of his opponent. I saw it once when he was training. I was just passing through."

"Well, Lee's got this win. Even if he could grab Lee, he wouldn't be able to steal anything." Tenten said.

"The fight is about to end." Neji said. They turned back to see that Yoroi was beaten up from Lee's assault. They could see that Lee was very disappointed in the fight and he decided to finish it.

"Konoha Senpū!" Rock Lee shouted. He hit Yoroi with three powerful kicks that sent him flying into the wall. Yoroi slid down the wall and laid there. Hayate declared Lee the winner. He did not cheer as it was not hot blooded enough for him. Gai assured him that he would have a great fight. The two hugged and a sunset appeared. Lucky for the genin, their jōnin were able to shield their eyes from the horror that was the sunset genjutsu. After clearing them off the ground, the board cycled again and two more names appeared. It would be Namikaze Shizuka vs. Tenten.

The two girls arrived on the ground and glared at each other.

"Ready to settle this brat?" Tenten asked.

"What's there to settle? You can't beat me and you never will. All this will be is a testament to your one dimensional style." Shizuka said and got into a stance. Tenten snarled and pulled out a staff to fight her. Sakura couldn't understand what that was about until she heard a sigh from someone. She turned to see the headmaster, Kushina.

"Kushina-senpai, what are you doing here?" Sakura asked.

"I'm allowed to watch the fights. I was there with the Hokage but there's nothing better than to be with the fighters and watch it with them." Kushina said. She turned toward the fight and watched as Shizuka dodged Tenten's assault. Tenten jumped back and lunched some shuriken. Shizuka deflected them and charged at her. "I was surprised that Tenten was her opponent. This will not end well."

"What is their issue anyway? She was really hostile with her." Sakura asked.

"Well, you could say that it's the same reason that Shizuka hated Sasuke but it's about me and not Naruto." Kushina said. Looking at her for an answer, Kushina continued. "As you know, we Uzumaki are very well versed in fūinjutsu. My son is very close to my level in the art. I have taught several people, including Kakashi and Tenten. She was given to me due to her skill, which was brought to me by Iruka. She exceled in the art and I continued to teach her. This made Shizuka jealous. I tried to teach them both but Shizuka just did not have the patience for the art. Even Naruto tried and failed. Tenten attempted to make friends but Shizuka wasn't accepting. She even insulted her heritage and that made Tenten angry. Since then, they have never seen eye to eye."

"Wow, I didn't know that Shizuka was so petty." Sakura said. They turned back to the match that was still going on. It looked like that it was about to heat up.

_**XXXXX**_

_**Authors' Notes**_: Well, here's a new chapter. . I would like to apologize for what happened yesterday. I was asked to put out a notice about that SOPA act. I did just that but I got a PM telling me that the act has been dead and gone for a while. I did some more research and learned that no one supports this act. Not the president and definitely not big business. I will still put up the page that you have to go to sign and try to stop it but I don't think that it will pass anyway.

I know that I will probably get flamed for having team Rin break out so soon after being captured. However, if Naruto knew about the Kazekage's invasion plans, wouldn't he want to get out as soon as possible? The Hana thing was just too funny to pass up. Anyway, the fights will be very different so look out for them. Enjoy the new chapter.


	24. Chapter 23

_**Chapter 23**_

Tenten began to attack Shizuka with her staff. Shizuka dodged with ease and had a smile on her face. She kept up her dodging for about a minute before easily slipping in and slamming her palm into her chest. Tenten took a few steps back before lashing out with a kick. Shizuka easily caught the foot and threw her away. Tenten flipped in mid-air and launched several shuriken at Shizuka. She let the projectiles come closer before quickly pulling out her tanto and batting them away with ease. She still had a smile on her face.

"Come on, you have to do better than that. I'm getting bored." She said. Tenten snarled but she quickly calmed down. She bit into her thumb and quickly wrote several characters on her staff. She did a one-hand seal and the characters glowed. She then pulled out five kunai with special tags on them. She launched the kunai at Shizuka who batted them away again.

"I'm getting bored…" Shizuka said but was cut off when one of the kunai she threw came back to her. She moved out of the way just as it passed her. That's when the other five kunai attacked. She used her tanto to deflect them but they would still come after her. She was very confused as to why this was happening. That's when she noticed her tanto. When the hell did Tenten put a seal on her tanto? She threw it away and the kunai followed.

Tenten closed the distance and attacked with her three section staff. Taking out a kunai, Shizuka blocked the strike but felt a jolt run through her body. Tenten continued her assault and made Shizuka feel pain as she was constantly shocked. Shizuka jumped away and landed on the statue. She was trying to shake off the feeling of the shocks she received. She glared at Tenten who now was smirking at her. That was unacceptable and she was going to wipe that smile off her face.

Tenten watched as Shizuka's features began to become more pronounced. She realized that she was starting to use the chakra of her tenant. She quickly pulled out two scrolls and placed them on the ground. She did some seals and called out her attack.

"Sōshōryū!" Tenten shouted. There was an explosion and two dragons of smoke rose into the air. The smoke cleared and it revealed two swirling scrolls. Tenten jumped up and floated in mid-air. She touched several seals on the scrolls and grabbed various weapons. She launched them with deadly accuracy at Shizuka. Shizuka did some hand seals and took a breath. Kushina looked ready to stop her but was very surprised by what she used.

"**Fūton: Daitoppa!**" Shizuka shouted in a deep voice. Tenten's weapons stopped and were returned back to her. Some of the weapons were destroyed by the attack. Tenten used the strings to control her remaining weapons but she was sent flying by the wind attack. She hit the other side of the wall hard. She was kind of dazed but was able to dodge the punch that came from Shizuka. Tenten controlled the weapons to hit Shizuka from behind but she dodged. Tenten used the weapons to try and hit her but Shizuka was way too fast.

Shizuka would use hit and run tactics against Tenten. She would get in a blow before moving on. Tenten was starting to slow down and was starting to develop some bruises. After two minutes, Tenten lost control of her weapons due to the Shizuka well placed strikes. That's when Shizuka attacked and landed a six hit combo that sent Tenten flying. She hit the ground and was not moving. Shizuka stopped using the Kyūbi chakra and looked at the referee.

"Tenten can no longer continue. The winner of this match is Shizuka Namikaze." Hayate said. Shizuka just turned and made her way up to her team. She saw her mother and figured that she was going to lecture her about using the Kyūbi chakra. She was surprised that Kushina placed a hand on her head and ruffled it. She gave her a smile, which made her kind of happy. Tenten was able to walk back to her team. While she was disappointed in her loss, she was surprised that Shizuka wasn't bragging about it.

Everyone calmed down and waited for the third match. As the names cycled, Sakura turned to her teammate.

"Are you alright Shizuka?" she asked.

"I'll be fine. I'm still a little frazzled by those shocks. Stupid fox is being a little bitch about healing me. I'll be fine once she un-magnetize my tanto." Shizuka said to Tenten.

"Sure, I'll do it. Once you admit that you're nothing more than a spoiled little bitch." Tenten said with a smirk.

"Screw you whore!" Shizuka exclaimed. The two glared at each other before fists came down on their heads. They looked to see an angry Kushina looking at them.

"Enough of this! Just shake hands and bury this feud or so help me, I will tie you two together with my chains!" Kushina shouted. Fearful and reluctantly, the two girls shook hands. They did try to crush the others hand but it went unnoticed. After a while and Shizuka retrieving her tanto, the exams continued. The next match was Kiba vs. the Suna ninja, Kankuro. The two stood across from each other. Akamaru did a couple of barks that caught Kiba's attention. When he did, he just smiled.

"Something funny kid?" Kankuro asked.

"Don't worry about it." Kiba said, his grin never leaving his face. Hayate started the match and Kiba threw a food pill at Akamaru. The puppy ate it and jumped onto Kiba's head. "Jūjin Bunshin!" Kiba shouted and Akamaru changed into a copy of Kiba. He did another set of seals and called out his attack. "Shikyaku no Jutsu!" the two Kiba took on more feral appearances. They both then charged, head-first at Kankuro. The two began to move in a zig-zag formation that put Kankuro on edge.

"Let's force him out of that piece of wood Akamaru!" Kiba shouted. The two attacked, using their claws ti tear into Kankuro. Akamaru moved to attack the buddle but that when Kankuro revealed himself and dodged the copy's attack. Kiba and Akamaru kept up their assault. Kankuro tried to use his puppet, Crow, to attack but he was forced to defend against the assault. Kankuro received a few cuts on his person due to the fact that Kiba and his partner moved at incredible speeds.

Watching from above, Sasuke was worried about his friend. Sakura saw this and wondered what was wrong.

"Are you worried about Kiba? He's tearing that guy apart." Sakura said.

"It only looks like he's winning. He might be faster and great at close combat but he has always underestimated his opponents. He thinks that just because he can keep up this assault and that the Suna ninja mainly fights at a distance, he can win. That isn't really true. If there is one person he should concern himself with it's this guy." Sasuke said. Sakura was surprised and turned to Kushina.

"Kushina-kocho?" Sakura asked.

"Sasuke is right. Kiba has always had this problem and he's about to pay for it. I know that puppet and Kiba is in for a nasty surprise if he thinks that this will be an easy victory." Kushina said. Back on the ground, Kiba and Akamaru look to finish the fight.

"Let's finish this guy off Akamaru!" Kiba exclaimed. The two twisted their bodies and started to spin like a drill. "Gatsūga!" Kankuro made a hand movement and Crow's arms launched smoke bombs. They landed and covered him from Kiba's view. Kiba just scoffed at his plan.

"That isn't going to work! I can smell you!" Kiba shouted. He and Akamaru attacked and drilled into the smoke. They moved around, attempting to hit Kankuro. They were hitting something and felt something break off. From out of the smoke, Kankuro ran away from the smoke and pulled his puppet with him. He was not happy as two arms were missing and there was a chuck of the puppet's side gone. The two drills came to a stop. Everyone watched as Kiba and Akamaru were unbalanced. They both tried to shake the cobwebs out but it was as if they could not. Akamaru hit the ground first and the transformation dispelled. Kiba hit the ground next and he could not feel anything. Kankuro just grinned at the two on the ground. He turned to Hayate.

"You better call the match. If they don't get an antidote in the next fifteen minutes, their nervous system is going to shut down." Kankuro said.

"Winner of the match is Kankuro of Suna." Hayate said. The medics rushed out to get to the two. One medic asked Kankuro for the poison that Kiba was given and he told them. They quickly got Kiba off the ground and into the medical bay to administer the treatment. Kankuro made his way back to his team, knowing that some of Konoha genin were glaring at him. He just kept that smug grin on his face.

"Smug bastard, he's enjoying the fact that he did that to Kiba. While I don't really care about him, Akamaru didn't deserve that." Shizuka said.

"Kiba walked right into that. Suna puppeteers are very deadly and crafty. The ideal way to defeat one is to fight them at close combat but you must do so with caution. You see the results of recklessly charging in. Hopefully, Kiba finally learns his lesson." Kushina said. Everyone waited for the next fight to begin. The two names that appeared were Dosu Kinuta of the Oto vs. Sabaku no Gaara of Suna. Shizuka and Kushina paid special attention to this match. They wanted to see just how powerful Sungakure's jinchūriki was.

Dosu faced Gaara and was determined to show his master that he should not have used him as a pawn. After awakening from his defeat at the hands of the two kunoichi of team Kakashi, Kin told him about the end of their little battle. The fact that Sasuke was given the juinjutsu that all of Orochimaru's elites got, made his blood boil. It meant that he and his team were nothing more than punching bags for the Uchiha. That made him angry and bitter. It was then he vowed to show Orochimaru that he was no pawn. He would disrupt the man's plans and he knew that it had to do with the person in front of him. He would show him the grave mistake that he made.

Dosu pulled back his sleeve to reveal his Melody Arm. He had stored some sound in it and he would use it to bring this guy to his knees. His sand would not stop him sound. As soon as Hayate started the match, Dosu charged and threw his gauntlet arm toward Gaara. The sand rose to protect him and the arm hit the shield. Dosu released the sound in the Melody Arm and sent it toward Gaara. Gaara winced as the high pitch hit his ears. Dosu smirked under his bandages but that was soon gone when Gaara straighten up. He attempted to jump back but he was quickly encased in sand. Gaara raised his arm and glared at the cocoon of sand.

"Sabaku Sōsō." Gaara said softly and the sand imploded on itself. Everyone watched in horror as blood dripped from the sand. Shizuka was taken aback by the brutal nature of the kill. When Gaara turned to face Shizuka, he gave her an evil smile. Shizuka flinched but glared at Gaara in defiance. Gaara walked away the winner, his bloody sand returning to his gourd. Everyone was very concerned by the insanity that the boy had.

_**XXX**_

A patrol of Konoha ninja was heading back to the village. They just finished with border protection and were happy to get back home to loved ones or a bed. As they walked the path, they came across a team of Suna ninja. Wondering why they were all the way near the border of Takigakure, they made their move to ask about that. They got close and saw that they were pretty dirty and looked like they were in a battle.

"Hey guys, do you need some assistance?" asked the shinobi. The Suna group jumped up and dropped into attack mode. The Konoha group did the same and was ready to attack. That's when one of the Suna group noticed one of them.

"Riichi? Is that you?" said the Suna ninja.

"Naruto? What the hell are you guys doing near Takigakure? Why are you dressed like Suna ninja?" asked Riichi.

"It is a long story but we don't have the energy to tell you. Tell me that you guys have some food pills on you?" asked Naruto.

"Yeah, why?" asked Riichi.

"We need to get Konoha and in a hurry. An invasion on Konoha is in the works and we need to get to the Hokage as soon as possible." Naruto said. The news was shocking but the Konoha team quickly complied, giving Naruto, Hana and Zaji food pills. Refreshed and rejuvenated, the group of seven moved quickly through the trees. At the speed that they were going, they would reach the village late in the afternoon.

_**XXXXX**_

_**Authors' Notes**_: Finally! My writer's block has cleared. Sorry that this is so late. I had to attend a funeral of a family friend today. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy the chapter. Read, review, flame, do what you guys do.

_**Glossary**_

_**Gatsūga**_ – Fang Passing Fang

_**Sabaku Sōsō**_ – Sand Waterfall Funeral

_**Shikyaku no Jutsu**_ – Four Legs Technique

_**Kocho**_ – Headmaster

_**Jūjin Bunshin**_ – Man Beast Clone

_**Fūton: Daitoppa**_ – Wind Release: Great Breakthrough

_**Sōshōryū**_ – Twin Rising Dragons


	25. Chapter 24

_**Chapter 24**_

The board cycled again and two more names were revealed. It would be Aburame Shino against Uchiha Sasuke. Both appeared to face each other using the Shunshin to appear on the floor. Sakura and Ino attempted to outdo the other as they cheered Sasuke on. Sasuke ignored them and focused on Shino. He activated his Sharingan and began to formulate a plan.

Hayate started the match and Sasuke was within Shino's guard. Shino was shocked at his speed. Sasuke lashed out with a roundhouse kick. Sasuke's kick connected but Sasuke felt something wrong. He jumped away just as Shino dissolved into his kikaichū insects. They moved around to circle Sasuke. Shino managed to enclose on him. The kikaichū attacked, attempting to cover him. Shino was very surprised when his colony went right through him.

Shino turned just in time to block Sasuke's flying side kick. Sasuke dropped low and swept Shino's legs from under him. Shino hit the ground and had to quickly block as Sasuke brought his heel down toward his chest. His colony moved to protect him and attacked. Once again, they went right through him. Shino was on his feet and searching for him. As he did he attempted to figure out Sasuke's jutsu.

"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!" Sasuke called out. Shino had to dodge the incoming fireballs. Shino felt that something was wrong. The fireballs were off and it felt that he was being led into a trap. His feet were suddenly caught in something sticky. He looked to his feet and saw that he was in some kind of water. He could not move and was trapped. He had his kikaichū surround him as he kept a look out for an attack.

The sound of metal was heard and Shino was forced to pull out a kunai to defend himself. He saw that the shuriken was being directed by wires. The wires suddenly wrapped around him. He looked in the direction of the wires to see Sasuke on the statue. His hands were in the _'tora'_ seal. Shino weighed his options. While his insects could follow up the wires to Sasuke, something told him that these wires were used to direct a Katon. Looking at the Sharingan eyes of Sasuke, Shino saw that there would be no victory.

"Proctor, I would like to forfeit. No victory will be gained." Shino told Hayate. With that Sasuke relaxed, which loosen the wires. Sakura and Ino cheered loudly. Hinata clapped and cheered him on as well. Sasuke jumped down and moved to show respect to Shino. The two shook hands before going back to their respective teams. Sasuke was unaware of the sinister eyes that were on him.

Orochimaru, who was in disguise, watched with a smile. He was a little disappointed that his seal was not working. Seeing Kushina across the way, he cursed and realized his mistake. Despite have more experience than her, her fūinjutsu skills were more superior and probably passed her skills to her bratty kids. Still, Sasuke's performance was very impressive against the Aburame heir. He gained an advantage and never let up. He was very curious about that jutsu of his that allowed him to phase out like that. He would just have to figure it out when Sasuke was his.

He couldn't wait until Sasuke came to him.

_**XXX**_

The board cycled and a new match was made. It would be Tsuchi Kin against Hyūga Neji. Neji faced Kin with a smug smirk. This pissed Kin off and she really wanted to gut him. As soon as the match started, Neji was already in motion. He appeared behind a stunned Kin. He only turned his head slightly as Kin dropped to the ground. Neji was awarded the victory.

As he made his way back to his team, he watched the board cycle. He saw the name of his cousin, Hinata. She would be facing an older male named Tsurugi Misumi. He was interested in this match only to see his cousin fail. Neji never had a positive opinion of Hinata. The main reason was that he blamed her weakness for the death of his father. Another reason was that she was the heiress of the clan, a position that only the strong should have.

As the match began, Neji had a smirk. It wasn't even a second and Hinata was already on the defense. Against such a weak opponent, he would have crushed him already. So weak was she that Hinata got caught by his ability to stretch his limbs. He turned away, knowing that Hinata would be surrendering soon.

"Jūkenpō Ichigekishin!" Hinata called out. Neji whipped his head around to see Misumi gasping for air. Hinata spun and slammed her palm into his gut. She then executed a fierce six-hit combo. As a stunned Misumi backed away and gasped, Hinata got into a stance that Neji recognized. She thrust her arm forward, her palm out, with some speed.

"Hakke Kūshō!" Due to the speed, Hinata created a vacuum shell that hit Misumi in the chest. It sent him flying. Hinata thrust her palms again; four more time and aiming for the joints of Misumi's legs and arms. Misumi hit the wall in extreme pain and slumped to the ground. The pain was too much for him and he passed out. Hinata let out a breath and relaxed as Hayate declared her the victor. Some were very surprised by the performance, including Kurenai. Hinata saw all the attention she was getting and blushed.

"What the freaking hell was that! When was Hinata this strong?!" Shizuka exclaimed.

"She's always been strong. We've sparred before with Kiba. While I'm ahead in our group spars, it's only by two wins. Hinata is a close second and Kiba is far in third." Sasuke said with a chuckle.

"Hinata kept her strength to herself because she was and still is quite shy. During the academy, I noticed that Hinata was too flexible for the traditional Juken. I help her by recommending Tai Chi and it helped her Juken. Her improvement was noticed by her grandfather and he helped her. Those moves that she used fit with her style." Kushina explained. Her eyes went to look at Neji for a second. She saw the rage flowing through him. She just sighed and ignored it. This was Hiashi's problem that he better solve.

_**XXX**_

The next match was Abumi Zaku against Akimichi Chōji. The Oto ninja did not pay attention to Chōji. He was glaring at the two females of team Kakashi. Sakura hid behind Sasuke while Shizuka gave him the finger, earning her a slap upside her head. He growled and wanted nothing more than to destroy the two. However, he had to beat Chōji.

"You aren't the one I wanted but I'll take my aggression out on you. You can blame this beating on those two bitches on the balcony fatso." Zaku said with a snarl. That's when he heard every Konoha ninja wince and suck their teeth.

"I'm sorry, what did you call me?" Choji asked.

"Oh, did I hurt your feelings? If you don't like fatso, how about wide load? Lardass? Fat ass? Butterball," Zaku was suddenly cut off by a large fist, Chōji's fist. Zaku hit the wall and went right through it. His arm returned to normal and he let out a huff.

"I'm not fat. I'm big boned." Chōji said. Hayate just sighed.

"Winner of the match is Akimichi Chōji."

_**XXX**_

Hiruzen watched the next match with as much interest as the others. The rookies were doing so well. Every one of them impressed him on some level and he wouldn't be surprised if more than one became a chūnin a month from now. He watched as Ino landed a very complex combo on the Suna ninja, Temari. It was very ingenious of her to use the scent of flowers to catch the girl in a genjutsu. She even showed some skill in being swift. However, he could not see this match going to her. She did not finish off the Suna kunoichi and she attempted to use the same strategy as before. He saw that this would not end well for her.

That's when a puff of smoke caught his attention. It was a small toad. The toad spat up a scroll and handed it to him. Hiruzen wondered who this was from. He took the scroll and opened it. As he read, his eyes narrowed at what he read. What he read was very disturbing. Well at least he had more information that he had than before. He burned the scroll and continued to watch the match. It would only be moments later when Ino lost to Temari's Futon jutsu. It was still a very good match.

_**XXX**_

It was now the final match of the prelims. It was Haruno Sakura against Nara Shikamaru. The lazy Nara was not too happy to be facing Sakura. He even muttered a troublesome as he faced her. This seemed to be a mistake as she was already annoyed. He figured that he had Shizuka to thank for this. He sighed and put his hands in his pockets.

Hayate started the match and Sakura was the aggressor. She called on two Bunshin to run with her. Shikamaru used the Kagemaru no Jutsu to capture the middle one. He was very surprised when it didn't work. That's when he was hit hard from his left. He stumbled but that did not stop the bombardment of blows. Shikamaru was sent flying with an uppercut. He hit the ground with a thud.

Shikamaru got to his knee and looked around the floor. He was not happy and it showed. He thought that he was in a genjutsu and tried to dispel it. However, Sakura did not appear. He was once again attacked by an invisible force. The air left him as he felt a heavy blow to his gut. He hit the ground but rolled to his feet. He backed away until he was close to the wall. That's when he did a hand seal.

"Kageami no Jutsu!" Using his shadow, he cracked the ground around him. That's when he felt something touch the shadow. He released the technique and his spun, forming a small whirlwind. Hearing the scream, Shikamaru smirked. Sakura disengaged the Tōton Jutsu that Kakashi taught her. Sakura did not expect that type of jutsu from Shikamaru. She got to her feet and quickly did hand seals.

"Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu!" Sakura called out. Sakura vanished again. Shikamaru used the Kageami no Jutsu again and like before, he was able to catch her. He released the jutsu to cause the whirlwind. However, it turned out that he captured and knocked away a log. Sakura reared her fist back and was about to knock Shikamaru out. That's when she froze mid-punch.

"Finally, Kagemaru no Jutsu is successful." He turned slightly to look at her. "You've been a pain in the ass Sakura. Why couldn't you just stay a fan-girl? Why did you have to actually train to be masculine like Shizuka?" Shikamaru asked.

"Fuck you Shikamaru!" Shizuka shouted, earning her a slap upside the head.

"Damn you, how did you catch me? I saw you take out my decoy and I know that it takes too much effort to do that jutsu again." Sakura growled.

"I'll say this. Your first jutsu and strategy was pretty good. Your back-up strategy was too bad either, using that genjutsu that was used at the beginning of the exams. However, you don't look around at your surrounds. Why do you think I backed up so close to the wall? The only path was either to my sides or behind. Since you and Ino attack very similar, it was pretty easy to know where you were going." Shikamaru said. His comment about her and Ino did not please her.

"I swear, I'm going to clobber you so bad for that comment." Sakura snarled.

"Lucky for me, you'll be out cold." With that Shikamaru bent back and Sakura did as well. The only difference was that she was too close to the wall. The force knocked her out. Shikamaru released his jutsu and sighed. This match was too troublesome. He had a lot of people he blamed for this. He blamed Sakura for his bruises, he blamed Shizuka for riling her up, he blamed Asuma-sensei for putting his team in these exams and he blame Kushina-sensei for training all the girls to be this tough. He just wanted to get out of here and do some cloud watching.

With that the preliminaries were over. All the winners were standing before the Hokage. Anko brought out a board and a small box. It was time to decide who would be fighting who in the finals.

_**XXXXX**_

_**Authors' Notes**_: This was my plan for this chapter, to end the preliminaries. I know that some of the matches were kind of short but I only do so by the skill of the character. The Chōji thing was just too funny to pass up. I like what I did with Sakura, making her a more capable kunoichi. I did not write out the Ino/Temari match because I could not come up with a battle scene. Every time I tried, it just did not work. I felt that I was copying the fight that Sakura and Karenbana in the third Naruto movie. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this new chapter.

_**Glossary**_

_**Jūkenpō Ichigekishin**_ – Gentle Fist Art, One Blow Body

_**Hakke Kūshō**_ – Eight Trigrams, Vacuum Palm

_**Kagemaru no Jutsu**_ - Shadow Imitation Technique

_**Kageami no Jutsu**_ - Shadow Network Technique

_**Tōton Jutsu**_** - **Transparent Escape Technique

_**Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu**_ - Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique


	26. Chapter 25

_**Chapter 25**_

"Okay, listen up!" Anko exclaimed at the winners. "This is going to be quick and simple. In the box, there is a number. You pick the number, you read the number and your name is written down by that number. Got it?" Everyone nodded and she walked up to the winner of the first match.

"I have chosen nine!" exclaimed Lee. Anko nodded and moved down the line while Hayate wrote the name down.

"Two." Shizuka said

"Ten." Kankuro said.

"Four." Gaara said.

"Seven." Sasuke said.

"Three." Neji said.

"One." Hinata said.

"Eight." Choji said.

"Five." Temari said.

"Six." Shikamaru groaned. With all the names written down, Anko looked at the board.

"Alright, the finals are set. The first match will be Hyūga Hinata vs. Namikaze Shizuka. The second match will be Hyūga Neji vs. Sabaku no Gaara. The third match will be Sabaku no Temari vs. Nara Shikamaru. The fourth match will be Uchiha Sasuke vs. Akimichi Choji. The final match will be Rock Lee vs. Sabaku no Kankuro. The tournament continues until a winner is crowned." Anko said.

"You all have a month to train and learn new things. This time you will be performing in front of some important people, so do your best." Hiruzen said. Shikamaru raised his hand so the Hokage faced him.

"Will the winner become a chūnin?" he asked.

"Maybe, maybe not, you all will just have to show your best and prove that you are ready to go up in rank." The old man said with a smirk. Shikamaru grumbled but said nothing else. With no more questions, everyone was led out of the tower and back to the village. Hiruzen signaled two of his ANBU and they vanished along with him. They arrived in a stone room that had a makeshift seats and tables of stone. He looked at the seated people before him.

"You should have waited in my office." Hiruzen said.

"This place is more secure." Naruto said.

_**XXX**_

After allowing them to get cleaned up and dressed, Hiruzen was now seated across from Naruto, Zaji and Hana. He had listened to the report and could not believe that Suna was about to break their alliance. He could understand why but he could not agree with it.

"Are you sure about this Naruto?" Hiruzen asked.

"Yeah I'm sure. Akiyama all but admitted that he's going to attack us. I don't have a time or date but I do know that he isn't working alone. He has a partner." Naruto said.

"I know. He has joined forces with Orochimaru." Hiruzen said. The three looked at him with surprise and worry.

"While I would like nothing more than to tell you I told you so, this is more serious that I thought. How the hell does Orochimaru have a force that he could challenge us?" Naruto asked.

"He seems to be the leader of a new ninja village called Otokage. He has also attacked your sister's team and placed a cursed mark Sasuke. It has been dealt with by your mother but that does not mean that he hasn't stopped. He is after Sasuke and you know why." Hiruzen said. Naruto just sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He then faced Hiruzen.

"What are our orders?" Naruto asked.

"Go home and get some rest. I will call on you when I need you." Hiruzen said. They all nodded as he disappeared with his guard. The three shinobi stood and left the secret room, that wasn't so much of a secret but a hidden spot. Who knew that there was a place behind the head of the Third?

_**XXX**_

It was the next day and Sasuke was making his way to the west gate. He had received a letter and was told to pack for a training trip. He was eager to get going because he believed that Naruto was going to teach him something new. He was surprised when he saw Kakashi standing by the gate. He gave him an eye smile before walking up to him. Sasuke was surprised to see him.

"Were you expecting someone else?" Kakashi asked.

"Sorry sensei but I thought that you were Naruto. I received a letter from him." Sasuke answered.

"Oh, he did write it and he wrote this one. He told me that you are to read it out loud when I gave it to you." Kakashi explained. Sasuke was confused but obeyed all the same.

"Sasuke, I know that you are probably confused but don't be. I will be busy for the month ahead and I will not be able to train you. Don't be disappointed because Kakashi is a very skilled jōnin. He will train you for the finals. Hopefully, he will teach more than his personal jutsu, the Chidori. If that's not the case, please show him the picture that is with this letter. This is just to make sure that he will take this training seriously and to bring you to the stadium on time. Do your best this month and for the upcoming finals." Sasuke read out. He looked at the photo and then handed it to Kakashi. He gave it one look and his eye widen.

"How in the world did he get those?" Kakashi asked himself. Sasuke was very confused because it was just a picture of a stack of books. Still, if this had Kakashi worried, then Naruto-sensei knew what he was doing. Kakashi looked very defeated and made his way toward the gate. Sasuke just followed him out and was prepared for what was about to come.

_**XXX**_

Around the same time, Shizuka awoke for her slumber. She looked at the time and groaned. She just didn't like getting up this early. Still, she had to do it because she was training for the finals. She was curious as to what Danzō was going to teach her. She was hoping that it would be another high-level jutsu. She would need it against Hinata. She was not going to be an easy battle.

As she stepped out of her room and made her way to the bathroom, she looked to her left to see that her bag was missing. It took her a while to finally realize that and she was instantly awake.

"_**WHERE THE HELL IS MY STUFF!?**_" she exploded. Her voice brought out her mother who looked like she was still asleep. She was very annoyed at the moment.

"Sweetie, it's too early to be shouting." Kushina said tiredly.

"My stuff is gone! I'm supposed to be meeting Danzō-jiji for training! Did you move it?!" Shizune demanded loudly.

"Talk to your brother. He grabbed your pack for some reason." Kushina stated and went back to sleep. Shizuka narrowed her eyes and charged into her brother's room. Kicking the door open, she searched for a body but did not see him. She then made her way downstairs. There, she saw her brother drinking some tea. She pounced on him and placed him in a chokehold.

"_**Where… is… my… STUFF!?**_" She spat and tightened her hold.

"Shizuka… calm… down. Let… me… speak." Naruto gasped out. Shizuka eased up but did not release him. Naruto took some breaths before speaking. "Okay, I took your pack but I only moved it to the door." Shizuka looked over to the door and saw her pack. She saw another pack that looked like her brother's pack. She released him and got on the ground.

"Okay then, thank you for moving it. I better go and get ready." Shizuka said.

"Yeah, you should do that now. We have to gather some supplies for the month and head out of the village. We've got a lot of ground to cover." Naruto said.

"Gather supplies? We?" Shizuka asked with surprise. Naruto just gave her a grin.

"From now until the finals, you are my student. It's time to see if you're nothing more than talk. Get ready sis, things have just gotten real for you." He said. Shizuka looked at him with wide eyes.

_**XXX**_

Kushina took a sip of her tea and ate her toast. She was enjoying her morning and the quiet that came with it. Both of her kids were gone for the month and she had the house to herself. She was going to have fun this month, inviting all of her friends. Still, she was very surprised that Naruto was training Shizuka. Maybe he could beat the arrogance out of her that she was unable to do.

She then heard a knock at her door. She stood and made her way to open it. When she did, her mood soured a bit.

"What do you want Danzō?" Kushina asked annoyed.

"I thought that we reached an understanding when it concerned your daughter? You finally seem to accept the fact that she wishes to be trained by me. Why is she being kept from me?" Danzō asked.

"She isn't being kept from you and I would be mindful of how you speak of my daughter. She is not property and the next time that you refer to her as such, I'll beat your ass. The fact is that her brother decided to train her for the finals." Kushina said. She then pulled out a letter. "He left this for you." Danzō took the letter and opened it.

_Dear Danzō,_

_ I am very disappointed in you. Are you not the Yami no Shinobi? I mean, you have trained child soldiers before right? So why is my sister so under-trained? At her current skill level, Hinata Hyūga would completely destroy her. Because you have not done your job, I'm going to step in. Don't worry old man, you'll still be her favorite and she will always come to you, just better trained. Have a good day._

_Naruto Namikaze_

_P. S.: I would drop the letter if I was you._

Danzō threw the paper away just as it exploded into a dust cloud of orange paint. Kushina held her laugh but had a wide smirk on her face.

"Paint trap, that's just classic." Kushina said with a belly laugh. Danzō was not amused and showed it. He spun around and made his way off the property. Kushina's mood was happy again and made her way inside.

_**XXX**_

Naruto entered the clearing and looked at the place with a smile. He looked back to see his sister on her hands and knees, breathing for air.

"You have got to be kidding me? Are you sure that you have Uzumaki blood in you? We are only ten miles outside of the village and we walked here. How are you so tired?" Naruto asked mockingly.

"I swear to Kami, I'm got to murder you in your sleep." Shizuka said tiredly. She stood up and looked around the area. She didn't know where they were. "Where are we?"

"This was dad's training ground." Naruto said, surprising Shizuka. "He did a lot of thinking and training here. This is also the spot of the Kyūbi sealing. When I became a chūnin, I came back here and rebuilt the place. A lot of dad's stuff was already put in the vault so I used this place like dad did." Naruto said. The two stood there for a while, admiring the view. "Come on, let's put our stuff down. I'll show you around and then we will start on dinner." Shizuka nodded and the two made their way to the small hut.

_**XXX**_

Naruto was making some stew that smelled really good. It wasn't ramen but it looked really good. As he stirred the pot, Shizuka looked at her brother with curiosity.

"So, what made you want to take me for the month? Don't tell me it was just to keep me from Danzō-jiji." Shizuka said.

"Your uncle hasn't done such a good job. When I was on my way home yesterday, I ran into Anko and Ibiki. They weren't impressed with your performance. They said that you were overly arrogant that you allowed Tenten to outpace and out maneuver you. Be honest with yourself Shizuka, do you believe that you could have defeated Tenten without the Kyūbi help?" Naruto asked her. Shizuka wanted to tell him off but she really could not. She would have lost if it wasn't for the stupid fox.

"Okay, so what's your point?" she asked.

"The Kyūbi chakra is a trump card and only a trump card. You are strong enough without it. You can't keep relying on it when it gets too tough. You have to use your head rather than your gut. He does not define you. You are the daughter of Kushina and Minato. It's time to show Konoha that." He told her. Shizuka looked down at her hands and looked like she was in deep thought. She then faced her brother and he could see the desire in her eyes.

"So, what are we going to do?" Shizuka asked. Naruto smiled at her. He then held his palm up and Shizuka watched with fascination as a sphere of chakra appeared in his hand.

"This took dad three years to complete. Jiraiya and Kakashi mastered this within two and a half. It took me a month using a little trick and I mastered it in a year. Let's see how bad you want this."

_**XXXXX**_

_**Authors' Notes**_: Hey all, sorry about the late update but it had been a crazy month for me. I had project to do and they were due. It barely had time to write. Enjoy the new chapter.


	27. Chapter 26

_**Chapter 26**_

The sounds of battle rang out in the training field. Shizuka was trying like mad to tag her brother but nothing she did worked. Ninjutsu, taijutsu and kenjutsu was not working. She was starting to get frustrated and some of the Kyubi's chakra was starting to seep out. That's when Naruto decided to end the fight. Several spears of chakra shot out of Naruto's back and pierced Shizuka. The chakra receded and Shizuka was out for the count.

Naruto knelt down and looked at his sister.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'll be okay. Those spears of yours hurt like hell." Shizuka said.

"Well, they hurt your roommate even more. I can attest to that. Anyway, I've seen all that I need to and I have to say we've got some work to do." Naruto said.

"Come on, I wasn't that bad. You're just too good and a jōnin. You have years of experience on me." Shizuka said with a tone.

"True but I know what I saw. You have a good set of Futon jutsu but you have no variety. Your taijutsu only relies on power moves. Your kinjutsu is filled with holes. You go too wide in your strikes. So we have a lot to make up in this coming month. We will work on all your weakness and learn a few new things, especially if you're going to be facing that Gaara person." He said.

"Shouldn't I be worrying about Hinata?" she asked.

"Don't worry; we are going to be training for everyone, including Sasuke." Naruto said with a smile. "First things first, we are going to start working on your chakra control." Shizuka groaned when she heard that. "Stop complaining and get your ass to that tree." Shizuka just got up and made her way over to the tree.

_**XXX**_

Sasuke hit the ground with a thud. Kakashi stood over him but he was a little winded. He mentally berated himself for falling so behind. He knew that Sasuke was no pushover but for someone his age to push him so well, it really made him feel small.

"Well, that was pretty good Sasuke. You sure gave me a run for my money." Kakashi said. "Learned a new jutsu on your own time?"

"Only one. The Doton: Doroku Gaeshi is a not that great of a defense if it could be easily destroyed like that." Sasuke said. He sat up and faced his sensei. "So, what will we be learning?"

"Well, I have a move that will be perfect with your Sharingan. Also, I will be increasing your speed and your dodging ability. You will also be learning a few jutsu that will help you against your opponents." Kakashi explained. Sasuke nodded but he had a question.

"Sensei, you've seen Naruto-sensei's sword right?" Sasuke asked.

"Naruto showed you his sword? He showed you his full sword?" Kakashi asked back.

"Full sword? I saw him use the Onsoku Fūsoku no Ken on my fireball and on a boulder. It's just a hand motion right?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, Naruto's jutsu is very complicated than just a motion. Just like his father, Naruto's jutsu took three years to create and master. He would continue to improve it over time and it is one of the most deadly jutsu alive. Let me show you something." Kakashi said. The two made their way over to a boulder. It was a very large boulder. Kakashi got into a stance. Sasuke recognize it as a sword stance from that book Naruto gave him.

"Ninpō: Raijin no Ten Suiryoku!" Kakashi shouted. A large discharge of lightning appeared in Kakashi's hands and it was thrust into the boulder. Kakashi disengaged the jutsu and stepped back. Sasuke stepped up to look at the damage. He was shocked at the damaged Kakashi created. He could see right through the boulder.

"That…" Sasuke stated in shock.

"I know and the truth is that I have not mastered it. I can only hold my sword for a few minutes however; it is my most powerful jutsu, even stronger than my original jutsu. Another truth is that this jutsu is mostly self-taught. Once you got the basics down, you can do with it what you will." Kakashi explained. Sasuke looked at the man with wide eyes.

_**XXX**_

"Wait, wait, wait, are you telling me that I could have been learning your Tome Rarenai Ken without your help?!" Shizuka exclaimed.

"Well, I could give you the basic instruction on how to start the jutsu but yeah, it's pretty much up to you. This is just like dad's jutsu. It takes a lot of control to use that jutsu. Kakashi is the only one I showed it to. Sasuke knows a bit but not everything." Naruto said.

"Oh, so you showed Sasuke." Shizuka said with an angry pout.

"Don't get snippy. You forget, I've been training Sasuke since his family died. He still has a way to go before he can use it. You shouldn't be complaining anyway. You're learning dad's jutsu and mom's jutsu, both are A-rank in power and that's without the improvement." Naruto asked.

"What improvement?" Shizuka asked.

"Not going to happen." Naruto said with a smile. Shizuka just stuck her tongue out at him. She then got worried.

"Hey Naruto, do you think I can use the Kongō Fūsa? I mean, do you think I can learn how to use spears like you?" Shizuka asked.

"Hey, no talking like that. You are an Uzumaki; it's in your blood. Whether it's the chains or spears or swords, you have the ability we all have. I'll prove it to you tonight." Naruto asked.

"How?" Naruto just smiled.

_**XXX**_

Orochimaru looked at darkness with cold eyes. He was in deep thought. Something bothered him. It was that fight he had with Sasuke's team. There was something about Sasuke's skills that bothered him. Kakashi was a skilled jōnin but he was nowhere near that impressive. Sasuke was trained but by who was the question. He did not like such unknowns. His thoughts were interrupted by his right-hand man.

"Lord Orochimaru, it seems that we have a problem." He said.

"Oh, have you been discovered Kabuto?" Orochimaru asked with an even tone.

"For that I am sorry. I underestimated Konoha's intelligence. Anyway, it seems that Konoha might be aware of our coming attack." Kabuto said.

"Oh, what makes you believe that?" Orochimaru asked.

"News out of Kaze no Kuni is that there was an incident in Sunagakure. Apparently, three Konoha shinobi escaped from the village. I could not find out the other two were but one name stood out, Namikaze Naruto." Kabuto said.

"So the brat's off-spring is just as much of a problem as him? That fool Akira, he should have known better." He spat.

"You seemed more troubled about something else." He asked.

"It is Sasuke's skills. From my attack and his fight with the Aburame heir, Sasuke has shown superior skills. I am not complaining but it was not Kakashi work. Someone has been training him. The Yondaime's other brat has the makings of Danzō's training but I do not know who has been training him. Also, he seems too concerned about his teammates. It as if he has created bonds with the village. I am concerned than my gift will not be enough for him to change sides." Orochimaru stated.

"I will attempt to find out just who has been training him. It might be a little difficult due to the fact that I am a wanted man." Kabuto said.

"I don't care how. Find out who he was with and who he has been trained by." Orochimaru ordered. Kabuto nodded and left Orochimaru alone.

_**XXX**_

Hiruzen looked over the village from his window. He was thinking about his grandson and the village. With everything that was told to him, he knew that the era of peace was going to end soon. Konoha would need a strong leader when his time was up. Lucky for him, the daimyo saw fit to agree with his request. He knew that Naruto would not like it but it was the best choice at the time. He would keep the village safe when he was gone.

There was a knock on his door.

"Enter." Hiruzen said. The door opened and Hiruzen turned to smile at the person. "This is a surprise. You usually use the window to enter my office Jiraiya."

"Well, I thought that I would do you this one time deal." Jiraiya said with a grin. The two sat down and faced each other.

"You didn't come here to just tell me that now did you?" Hiruzen asked.

"No, I wanted to talk to you about this decision of yours. I don't think the kid is ready for this kind of responsibility. He's only eighteen. He hasn't even felt the warmth of a woman yet. Don't you think that you are putting too much on him? You act as if it will be your last day." Jiraiya said.

"I'm no fool Jiraiya. I know what is coming. The peace that we have had is about to end. With Orochimaru and this group that you reported, the tide of war is returning. Konoha will need to have a strong leader at the helm. Kakashi might have been a better choice or even Maito Gai but Naruto; I can see much of his father within him. He may be young but I know that in his hands, Konoha will survive." Hiruzen stated. Jiraiya just sighed at his teacher.

"I don't like it but I do see you point. Where is my student?" Jiraiya asked.

"Bonding with his sister." Hiruzen said with a smile.

_**XXX**_

Shizuka sat across from Naruto. Both were sitting in the middle of a sealing array that Naruto created. Both were in an Indian position and both had their eyes closed. When they re-opened their eyes, they were within a forest of thorns. However, the thorns were smaller than Naruto remembered. This wasn't his first time within the seal.

"Well, this is a change. What's up, you finally stopped being so bitchy all the time?" Naruto asked with a smirk.

"Bite me." Shizuka said. He chuckled and the two made their way through the thorns. They did not go to the Kyūbi cage but rather, they followed the seals that were on the ground. They walked for a while before they reached the end of the road. When they got there, they saw a ball of chains but it was very different from what Naruto or Shizuka knew.

"It looks a lot like barbwire. Great, my chains are twisted." Shizuka said with a dead-pan tone.

"Maybe but it might be something good. Come on, we're going to talk to your roommate." Naruto said. He gripped the ball of chains and dragged it toward the Kyūbi cage. When they arrived, they were met by the fox himself.

"**Well, if it isn't the other brat! What are you doing here boy? I would think that after our last meeting, that you cannot kill me!**" the fox said.

"Well, I couldn't kill you thanks to how you were born. You can't destroy chakra and you're just that, just like your brothers and sisters." Naruto said. There was a slam against the thorns.

"**Careful boy, do not speak as if you know me or them!**" The fox snarled.

"Easy furball, we are here to test something. I believe that you know about this. Why don't you take a shot at destroying this Ku," Naruto began but was cut off when a wave of red chakra came at them. Shizuka quickly touched the ball of chains and it exploded out. The barbwire wrapped around the chakra. It snuffed the chakra, surprising the young girl. Naruto smirked at the Kyūbi. "All too easy."

"**You will rue the day you challenged me boy!**" the Kyūbi roared. Naruto smirked and led his sister out of the seal. When Naruto opened his eyes again, he was looking into the eyes of his sister. Shizuka was quickly to her feet and summoned her Kongō Fūsa. Naruto had to dodge the barbwire chains as it nearly destroyed the ground. Shizuka squeaked at what she did and looked ashamed. Naruto just sighed and shook his head.

_**XXX**_

Shizuka growled in frustration as the balloon would not pop. Why was this jutsu so damn hard? She understood the steps but it was frustrating that it was so hard to rotate her chakra like that. She decided to take a break when something came out of the brushes. Shizuka was alert but when she saw what it was she couldn't help but squeal. It was the cutest little tiger cub. It had the prettiest snow white fur. She watched as the cub played with one of the water balloons. She watched as it burst as he kept playing with it. The cub did the same with another balloon. That's when Shizuka realized what was happening.

Shizuka gathered up the cub and hugged it tightly. She kept thanking the cub for the help. That's when something else stepped out. She thought that it was another cub but that was not the case. It was a tiger, a very huge tiger with very large fangs and huge claws. The green eyes of the beast bore into the young Uzumaki. It snarled and looked like he was ready to pounce on her.

"**What are you doing with my cub?!**"

_**XXXXX**_

_**Authors' Notes**_: New chapter out. Well, I kind of gave out a spoiler or not, I really like messing with people. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter.


	28. Chapter 27

_**Chapter 27**_

Naruto was beginning to get annoyed. Where the hell was Shizuka? He told her that they would be working on her swordsmanship at this time. What was taking her so long? He was about to go and look for the troublesome girl when he heard her voice, yelling his name. That's when she shot out of the bushes. Seconds later, a very lager, white-furred tiger followed her, bearing its fangs.

Moving quickly, Naruto summoned his best friend and sparring partner, Tekken. The blue toad in a yellow karate top moved quickly and punched the tiger. The large beast easily landed on its feet and charged. Tekken was ready and engaged the tiger in battle. He slipped into the tiger's guard and slammed his shoulder into the tiger's gut. It was followed up with three kicks. The tiger tumbled but was quickly on its feet again.

The two circled each other, ready for an attack. Naruto decided to put an end to the fight when he used his Kongō Fuyari to create a tiger trap. Tekken jumped and landed on top of the trap. The tiger slammed against the chakra spears but it could not get free. Shizuka peeked out from her hiding spot to see that the tiger was caught. Just as she was about to step out from hiding, something else stepped out of the bushes. Naruto cursed as he saw a tiger twice the size of the one he had trapped. He prepared himself for a fight when the tiger spoke.

"**Be at ease Gama (Toad) summoner, I am not here to fight.**" The large tiger said. Naruto was still ready to fight if need be. The tiger seem to have a smirk. "**Perhaps we can speak in a civilized manner?**"

_**XXX**_

The Namikaze siblings and the tigers faced each other at the camp. After releasing the tiger, who turned out to be the male tiger's wife, they decided to call a truce. The large tiger began to speak.

"**I want to apologize for my wife's actions. She is very protective of our cubs.**" He said.

"It's understandable Jiman-dono. My own mother is very protective of us. Still, Shizuka has something she would like to say." Naruto said and popped his sister lightly in the head. She glared at him before facing the tigers. She bowed to them.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have grabbed your cub." Shizuka apologized.

"**You damn right, you shouldn't.**" the female spat. A tick mark appeared on Shizuka's forehead. She was going to say something but she was stopped by Naruto. Jiman nudged his wife. She growled but relented. She faced Shizuka. "**I, Ohi, apologize for nearly ripping your skin off. I may have overreacted.**"

"May have overreacted?" Shizuka demanded. Naruto bopped Shizuka on the head, stopping her tirade. He then faced Jiman.

"I'm curious. How did you know I summoned toads?" Naruto asked.

"**I have your scent remembered. I watched you for quite a while. I believe you were fifteen at the time. You were quite strong and I felt a very honorable vibe coming off you. I considered offering you our contract but I saw you summon a toad. I still kept my eye out on you and I was glad to know that I was right.**" Jiman explained.

"Well, I'm honored that you think so highly of me." Naruto said with a silly grin. Shizuka suddenly got an idea in her head.

"If you are looking for a summoner, I will become one for your clan." Shizuka offered. Jiman looked at the young girl while Ohi scoffed at the idea. Jiman was amused and walked up to the young lady. They two looked at each other in the eyes. They stayed that way for quite a while. After a few tense moments, Jiman broke the glance between them.

"**You do have something that would be useful to us young one but I cannot accept you as our summoner.**" Shizuka bulked and Ohi had a smirk on her face. "**We are a prideful clan and you do have pride but you are also very arrogant. You have changed but it is a small one. We do not accept arrogance. Just to put you at ease, my decision has nothing to do with your prisoner.**" That shocked the siblings. "**However, I do see the change within you and I am a fair man. I understand that your village is hosting some competition in the next three weeks. We will be watching this event and should you impress us, we will allow you to take the trails. Does that sound fair to you?**" Jiman asked.

"That sounds more than fair." Naruto said and looked at his sister. Shizuka nodded at her brother and faced Jiman.

"Thank you. I will prove to you that I am worthy of the contract." Shizuka said happily.

"**Doubtful.**" Ohi muttered.

"Why don't you just bite me, you overprotective hag?" Shizuka spat loudly.

"**What did you just call me, you brat?**" Ohi exclaimed. Naruto sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Jiman just found it amusing that someone so small could stand up to his wife.

_**XXX**_

The sounds of chirping birds rang through the area. Kakashi watched as Sasuke attempted to hold the lightning in his hand. Just as it appeared, the sound just disappeared. Sasuke dropped to his knees. Kakashi knelt down and handed him a bottle of water. As Sasuke used his other hand to drink the water, Kakashi bandaged the burnt hand.

"That wasn't bad for your first attempt. Truth be told, I'm surprised that you got it down so quickly. Then again, I shouldn't be so surprised. Your teacher is a whiz at chakra control. A lot of guys usually go to him for advice." Kakashi said.

"I know what you mean." Sasuke said.

"So, we will take a break and then we will continue after lunch." Kakashi said. Sasuke nodded and pulled out a pad. He flipped through a few pages before coming upon a certain page. On the page, were the brackets of the finals in three weeks. Kakashi looked at the pad as well and saw some notes that Sasuke wrote down. He noticed that there were two columns. One was titled 'threats' and the other was titled 'non-threats'. "I would not be so quick to dismiss Chōji like that Sasuke. He was a part of your graduation class."

"I'm just doing what Naruto taught me. 'You have to know your opponent', he drilled that into me. Chōji is good but he mostly focuses on his clan jutsu and his overall strength. He might improve his speed during the month but I have a plan to stop him in his tracks." Sasuke said. Kakashi had to admit that Sasuke had a point. He looked over his list again and saw who he had as threats.

"I'm glad that you have Lee as a threat. Gai will push him just as hard as I will you." Kakashi said.

"Yeah, he, Shizuka, that Gaara guy and Hinata are who I'm worried about." Sasuke said. "Lee is pretty fast. My Sharingan might not help me against him. I've trained how to fight without it but it might not be enough."

"Well then, we better get your Sharingan up to strength, right?" Kakashi asked with an eye smile.

_**XXX**_

Hinata waited for the five Hyūga to attack her again. She was barely breathing hard and her opponents were tired. They had been attacking her for roughly ten minutes and they had yet to land a glancing blow. Hinata, however, was able to land her strikes and was able to keep her center of gravity. Watching her were the elders of the clan, her father and her grandfather. They had all heard about Hinata's victory and wanted to see this 'Juken'.

All five charged at Hinata who did a couple of hand movements. She then unleashed her chakra into a dome. All five Hyūga were sent flying and landed on the ground. Hinata took a deep breath and released it. A clap was heard and that ended the match. Hinata bowed to her opponents and to the elders. Hinata's grandfather smiled at her and clapped at her success. He told her to get cleaned up. As she left and was out of sight, the old man was confronted by Hiashi.

"You should have told me about this father. I do not like being kept in the dark." Hiashi said.

"Are you really surprised by my actions? While I was against it at first, I saw the improvement that was made. Since you left her to her own devices, I just took over from where you left off. I am proud of her." The elder spoke.

"Are you saying that I would not be proud also?" Hiashi asked with a tone.

"Are you telling me that you accept this style of Juken that has been created?" he countered. Hiashi said nothing and turned to leave. As he walked toward his office, he ran into his daughter. The two looked at each other for a while before Hinata shy away. Hiashi sighed at that but he did not comment. He walked up to Hinata and placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him to see him give her a nod. He then walked away, leaving a confused Hinata. There was one person who was not as confused and he was not happy by what he saw. He stormed off before he did something that would get him in trouble.

_**XXX**_

A loud boom was heard and some dust was kicked up. When it settled, a wooden log was three feet into the ground. There were splinters around the log. Lee was on his knees and resting. Gai came up to him with a big grin.

"Very good Lee! The Omote Renge is much stronger! It is the essence of youth!" Gai exclaimed.

"Thank you Gai-sensei! I will strive to get it four feet the next time I do it or I will climb the monument with one arm!" Lee shouted.

"That's the youthful spirit Lee!" Gai exclaimed.

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!" the two hugged it out and a sunset appeared with crashing waves.

_**XXX**_

"Kaiten!" Neji roared and deflected all of Tenten's weapons. He also blew away the posts that were surrounding him. Tenten was even thrown back a bit due to the power of the jutsu. Neji stopped and was breathing a little hard. He was still angry by what he saw earlier and needed to let out some steam. He couldn't believe that his uncle, the same person who deemed his daughter a failure, acknowledged her. He knew that the elders were not truly happy with Hinata's 'Juken' but that little nod that she received, made his blood boil.

"Come on Neji, let's take a break? You've been at this for like thirty minutes straight." Tenten said. Neji ignored her and just went deeper into the forest. Tenten just sighed at her teammate's behavior. She knew his issues with the main house of the Hyūga and she supported it but this was getting stupid. So what if his cousin won her match using something different? Kushina-sensei always talked about not being one-dimensional. She sighed again and made her way to collect her weapons. She wasn't going to stick around if Neji was acting like this.

_**XXX**_

Shikamaru huffed and puffed as he attempted to escape. He really didn't care about becoming a chūnin. To him that just sounded like a lot of work. He just wanted to lie on the grass and look at the clouds. However, his mother would not allow that to happen and decided to call in a favor. That favor came in the form of the headmaster, Kushina.

Shikamaru attempted to escape to the Akimichi home but he was surprised to learn that Chōji was out with Asuma getting ready for the finals. For the pass week, he had been dragged off by the red-head for training. His father allowed it so that he would not incur the wrath of the Uzumaki woman or his mother. Kami he was so whipped.

He was no longer going to accept this and attempted to get into hiding before Kushina could find him. He felt he had a good of enough head start on the woman. As he looked to move from his hiding spot, he was suddenly dragged across the ground. Something had his ankle and it was strong. He was then hanging upside down and was looking into the eyes of his trainer.

"You are truly your father's son." Kushina said. With a sigh, Kushina carried the lazy Nara toward the academy to get in some training.

_**XXX**_

The Suna team was sitting around their hotel room, doing nothing. Kankuro was working on his puppet, Temari was looking out the window and Gaara was alone in his room. They all awaited the arrival of their sensei who left a week ago back to Suna. He had left to get a report from their father. For now, they enjoyed the reprise that they gained.

"What do you think you are doing?" they all turned to see their sensei, Baki. He looked at the two with annoyance. "Why are you not training?"

"Why should we? I mean, no one came beat Gaara, Temari has an easy win with that slacker and I got the kid with the bowl cut. Also, isn't the plot starting right as soon as that Uchiha kid fights?" Kankuro said without a care.

"That might have been the case but our plans have changed. Konoha may be aware of our partnership with Otokage. A Konoha investigation team was able to escape Suna and return with information. In fact, I am certain that we are being watched." Baki explained. The two were shocked to learn that. That's when Gaara entered the room.

"It does not matter if they know or not." Gaara said. "They will all fall before me."

_**XXXXX**_

_**Authors' Notes**_: Just thought that I should mention what everyone is doing. Enjoy the new chapter.

_**Glossary**_

_**Kongō Fuyari**_ - Adamantine Sealing Spears

_**Omote Renge**_ – Front Lotus


End file.
